Supplemental Reading List for Yale College seminar
“Reading the Historical Romance Novel”
Instructors: Andrea DaRif (Cara Elliott) and Lauren Willig
Forebearers:
n Samuel Richardson, Pamela
n Oliver Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield
n Fanny Burney, Evelina
n Jane Austen
n Anne Radcliffe, Mysteries of Udolpho
n Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
The “Traditional” Regency:
n Georgette Heyer
o The Nonesuch
o The Corinthian
o Sprig Muslin
n Emily Hendrickson, The Gallant Lord Ives, et al
n Carla Kelly
o Marian’s Christmas Wish
o Miss Grimsley’s Oxford Career
o The Surgeon’s Lady
n Mary Balogh
o The Temporary Wife
o A Christmas Bride
o The Famous Heroine
n Kasey Michaels
o The Questioning Miss Quinton
o The Dubious Miss Dalrymple
n Elizabeth Mansfield, My Lord Murderer
n Megan Frampton, A Singular Lady
n Myretta Robens, Just Say Yes
n Diane Farr, The Nobody
n Anita Mills, The Duke’s Double
n Lynn Kerstan, Lord Dragoner’s Wife
n Judith Lansdowne
o Lord Nightingale’s Debut
o Mutiny at Almacks
n Nancy Butler
o The Rake’s Retreat
o Prospero’s Daughter
n Amanda McCabe
o Scandal In Venice
o The Errant Earl
n Barbara Metzger
o A Debt to Delia
o Miss Treadwell’s Talent
Trad with a Twist:
n Andrea Pickens
o A Diamond in the Rough
o The Banished Bride
o A Lady of Letters
n Nonnie St. George
o The Ideal Bride
o Courting Trouble
n Jessica Benson
o Lord Stanhope’s Proposal
o Much Obliged
The Marriage of Convenience:
n Georgette Heyer
o A Civil Contract
o The Reluctant Widow
n Kasey Michaels, The Illusions of Love
n Mary Balogh, Slightly Married
n Joan Wolf
o Golden Girl
o The Pretenders
o Royal Bride
n Jo Beverley, An Arranged Marriage
n Mary Jo Putney, The Bargain
n Judith McNaught, Something Wonderful
n Julia Quinn, Brighter than the Sun
The Hoyden Heroine:
n Georgette Heyer, The Grand Sophy
n Mary Balogh, Slightly Scandalous
n Jessica Benson, Much Obliged
n Catherine Coulter, The Rebel Bride
n Julie Garwood, Guardian Angel
n Gaelen Foley, Lady of Desire
n Eloisa James, A Wicked Pursuit
n Judith McNaught, Once and Always
n Teresa Medeiros, The Vampire Who Loved Me
n Lauren Willig, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
n Amanda Quick, Rendezvous
n Andrea Pickens, Seduced By A Spy
n Nicola Cornick, Unmasked
The Courtesan Heroine:
n Gaelen Foley, The Duke
n Julia Justiss, The Courtesan
n Elizabeth Boyle, His Mistress By Morning
n Mary Balogh, The Secret Pearl
n Loretta Chase, Your Scandalous Ways
n Johanna Lindsey, Say You Love Me
n Jane Feather, Velvet
The “Ordinary” Heroine
n Georgette Heyer, Arabella
n Julia Quinn
o The Duke and I
o Romancing Mr. Bridgerton
o On the Way to the Wedding
n Jill Barnett, Dreaming
n Jo Beverley
o Hazard
o St. Raven
n Gaelen Foley, Devil Takes a Bride
n Celeste Bradley, The Pretender
n Joan Wolf, The Arrangement
n Jessica Benson, Lord Stanhope’s Proposal
n Eloisa James, Fool for Love
n Amanda Quick, Mistress
n Tracy Anne Warren, The Wedding Trap
n Mary Balogh
o Slightly Wicked
o A Summer to Remember
The Ingenue:
n Judith McNaught
o Something Wonderful
o Almost Heaven
n Julia Quinn, How to Marry a Marquis
n Joan Wolf, The Deception
n Lauren Willig, The Temptation of the Night Jasmine
Beta Heroes:
n Georgette Heyer
o The Foundling
o Cotillion
n Julia Quinn
o Romancing Mr. Bridgerton
o On the Way to the Wedding
n Jo Beverly, Hazard
n Celeste Bradley, The Spy
n Johanna Lindsey, Say You Love Me
n Lauren Willig, The Masque of the Black Tulip
n Kasey Michaels, The Kissing Game
n Joan Wolf, The Pretenders
The Rake:
n Loretta Chase, Lord of Scoundrels
n Mary Balogh, A Summer to Remember
n Jo Beverley, St. Raven
n Sabrina Jeffries, In the Prince’s Bed
n Kat Martin, Perfect Sin
n Judith McNaught, Something Wonderful
n Julia Quinn, Splendid
n Joan Wolf, The Gamble
n Gaelen Foley
o Lord of Fire
o One Night of Sin
n Suzanne Enoch
o The Rake
o London’s Perfect Scoundrel
n Georgette Heyer
o Devil’s Cub
o Black Sheep
o Lady of Quality
n Johanna Lindsey
o Love Only Once
o Tender Rebel
Class Inversions, the Self-Made Hero:
n Gaelen Foley, Lady of Desire
n Celeste Bradley, The Pretender
n Judith McNaught, Almost Heaven
n Jo Beverley, Hazard
n Eloisa James, Much Ado About You
n Amanda Quick
o I Thee Wed
o Affair
o Wicked Widow
n Liz Carlyle, No True Gentleman
Noblemen in Disguise:
n Julia Quinn, How to Marry a Marquis
n Judith McNaught, Whitney My Love
Spies
n Andrea Pickens, The Spy Wore Silk
n Lauren Willig, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
n Joanna Bourne, The Spymaster’s Lady
n Celeste Bradley
o The Pretender
o The Imposter
o The Spy
n Julia Quinn, To Catch an Heiress
n Gaelen Foley, Lord of Fire
n Kasey Michaesl, The Bride of the Unicorn
n Jane Feather, Velvet
n Bertrice Small, Unconquered
n Elizabeth Boyle, Once Tempted
n Tracy Grant, Secrets of a Lady
n Mary Jo Putney, Dancing on the Wind
Napoleonic Wars/War Trauma
n Elizabeth Boyle
o Once Tempted
o One Night of Passion
n Mary Balogh
o Slightly Tempted
o One Night for Love
n Jo Beverley, The Rogue’s Return
n Julia Quinn
o To Catch an Heiress
o Dancing at Midnight
n Joan Wolf, The Deception
n Gaelen Foley, Lord of Ice
n Suzanne Enoch, England’s Perfect Hero
n Kasey Michaels, The Bride of the Unicorn
n Sandy Hingston, How to Kiss a Hero
Children As Plot Device
n Jo Beverley
o Forbidden Magic
o Skylark
o Christmas Angel
n Joan Wolf, The Arrangement
n Julia Quinn
o How to Marry a Marquis
o To Sir Phillip With Love
n Janis Laden, Scottish Rose
n Loretta Chase, Lord Perfect
n Georgette Heyer, Sylvester
American Heroines/Heroes:
n Julia Quinn, Splendid
n Judith McNaught, Once and Always
n Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, The Elusive Flame
n Johanna Lindsey, The Magic of You
Leaving Almack’s—Unusual Locales:
n Gaelen Foley
o Her Only Desire (India)
o His Wicked Kiss (South America)
n Loretta Chase, The Sandalwood Princess (India)
n Jo Beverley, Dangerous Joy (Ireland)
n Andrea Pickens, The Storybook Hero (Russia)
n Lauren Willig, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (India)
n Anne Gracie, To Catch A Bride, (Egypt)
n Mary Jo Putney, The China Bride (China)
Rustication—Portrayals of Country Life:
n Jessica Benson, Lord Stanhope’s Proposal
The Regency Paranormal:
n Jennifer Ashley
o Penelope and Prince Charming
o The Mad, Bad Duke
n Jill Barnett, Bewitching
n Teresa Medeiros, The Vampire Who Loved Me
n Katherine Harbaugh, The Vampire Viscount
n Jo Beverley, Forbidden Magic
n Deborah Simmons, A Man of Many Talents
n Gwyn Cready, Seducing Mr. Darcy
n Elizabeth Boyle, His Mistress by Morning
n Amanda Elyot, By A Lady
n Sandra Heath, Marigold’s Marriages
n Patricia C. Wrede
o Mairelon the Magician
o Magician’s Ward
o Sorcery & Cecelia
n Barbara Metzger, The Hourglass
n Patricia Rice, Mystic Guardian
Gothic-Tinged:
n Jill Tattersall
o Midsummer Masque
o The Wild Hunt
n Georgette Heyer
o Cousin Kate
o The Talisman Ring
n Jo Beverly, Dragon’s Bride
n Deborah Simmons, The Devil Earl
n Teresa Medeiros, One Night of Scandal
n Amanda Quick, The Paid Companion
Farce:
n Kasey Michaels, The Butler Did It
n Katie Macalister, Noble Intentions
n Jessica Benson, The Accidental Duchess
Major Family Series:
n Julia Quinn’s Bridgertons
n Loretta Chases’ Carsingtons
n Johanna Lindsay’s Mallorys
n Stephanie Laurens’ Cynsters
Unusual Narrative Devices:
n First Person Narrative
o Joan Wolf
o Jill Tattersall
n Multi-Plot
o Eloisa James
n Frame
o Lauren Willig
n Epistolary
o Patricia C. Wrede
Authors who write both Regencies and Contemporaries:
n Judith McNaught
o Regency
§ Whitney My Love
§ Something Wonderful
§ Almost Heaven
§ Once and Always
§ Until You
o Contemporary
§ Double Standards
§ Paradise
§ Perfect
§ Remember When
n Kasey Michaels, too many to list….
n Jessica Benson
o Accidental Duchess versus Carpool Confidential
Chronological Comparisons:
n Georgian
o Georgette Heyer
§ Powder & Patch
§ The Convenient Marriage
o Jo Beverley, the Malloren novels
o Eloisa James, the “Duchess” series
o Elizabeth Hoyt, The Raven Prince, et al
o Carole Nelson Douglas, Lady Rogue
n Victorian
o Lisa Kleypas
§ The Wallflower Series, i.e. Secrets of a Summer Night
§ Suddenly You
o Laura Lee Guhrke
§ And Then He Kissed Her
§ Guilty Pleasures
o Amanda Quick
§ Second Sight
§ The River Knows
Regency Legacies:
n Helen Fielding
o Bridget Jones’ Diary
o Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason
n Melissa Nathan, Persuading Annie
n Harriet Evans, A Hopeless Romantic
n Marilyn Brant, According to Jane
n Shannon Hale, Austenland
n Kasey Michaels, Maggie Needs an Alibi
n Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Again
For further reading suggestions, consult http://www.thenonesuch.com/subjects.htm, which breaks down a list of Regency romances by an even more extensive list of subtopics, including “Forced Marriages” and “Ladies Lost in Card Games”.