When you think of the 20th-century, you’ll probably recall learning about world wars and social change. In the midst of all the war and chaos, love is an emotion that has persevered in those hard times. Take the extraordinary story of Gilbert Bradley and Gordon Bowsher, two British men whose deep love and affection for each other during WWII was later recorded and brought to light through the letters they exchanged. In a time when war ravaged the world, and homosexuality was illegal, their love endured for as long as it could.
Their story is among the many reasons as to why I deeply admire and cherish historical fiction. It answers the question of whether love can truly endure in the face of conflict, and how people handle their suppressed emotions before a looming backdrop of societal change. I give you 16 historical romance recommendations to quench your curiosity for the past, as well as your desire for a good love story.
1910s
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
For fans of Bridgerton, Krystal Marquis has something absolutely exciting in store for you! Set in the Gilded Age, book one of the Davenports series follows an illustriously rich Black family in 1910s America whose wealth is founded in their successful entrepreneurial business, the Davenport Carriage Company. The novel features an ensemble of characters, primarily focusing on the love lives and romantic clashes of four characters: Olivia, the perfect eldest daughter of the Davenport family whose familial duty is sidetracked when she meets an attractive civil rights leader; Helen, whose passion is in fixing cars and in her elder sister’s suitor; Amy-Rose, a maid who one day seeks to own her own business and harbors feelings for Olivia and Helen’s brother, John; and finally there is Ruby, Olivia’s best friend whose familial duty compels her to attract John — even if it’s not what her heart truly wants.
Marquis was inspired by the real-life story of the Pattersons, a Black family who owned the Patterson & Sons Co. automobile company. If you love a series that features multiple romances, love stories that challenge society, and a female-led narrative that perseveres in a time period that oppresses both race and gender, then this book is a must-add to your TBR.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Katherine Arden weaves fantasy into the past in The Warm Hands of Ghosts, a novel set during WWI. In January 1918, Laura Iven was once a revered field nurse but was wounded and consequently discharged. When she receives news that her brother, Freddie, was declared dead in combat, Laura is determined to uncover the truth behind her brother’s death — if he even is dead at all. In November 1917, Freddie Iven wakes up only to find himself trapped in a pillbox with Hans Winter, a wounded German soldier. Although enemies at war, they decide to form an alliance to escape. But when the time comes for them to return to the battlefield, they run away together and seek refuge with a mysterious man.
The novel contains elements of fantasy and supernatural forces that unravel during the dark days of the Great War. If you’re looking for a story that blends fantasy with fact, then this book is the pick for you!
1920s
What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon
For fans of Outlander, this book is guaranteed to be your cup of tea. In What the Wind Knows, Anne Gallagher is heartbroken by the death of her grandfather. When she travels to his childhood home in Ireland, she magically and unexplainably winds up in the past. Ireland in 1921 is no place for someone with no knowledge of the current circumstances. With the island on the verge of war, Anne wakes up under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith and his guardian, a strangely familiar young boy. When she is mistaken for the boy’s missing mother, she adopts her identity in order to find out what exactly has happened to her. As the struggle for Ireland’s independence continues, Thomas joins the movement, inevitably bringing Anne — and her heart — along with him.
But can history really be changed? And does Anne even have a choice, now that she has found love in someone she never should have met? Amy Harmon’s What the Wind Knows would captivate any reader who is interested in a story that battles between free will and fact.
The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig
Lies, deceit, betrayal, and ultimately revenge unfold in Lauren Willig’s The Other Daughter. Rachel Woodley is working as a governess in France when she hears of her mother’s death. Distraught at the news, she returns to England to clean the cottage she was raised in, her world crashing as she stumbles upon a photo of her supposedly deceased father in a London society magazine. Turns out that Rachel’s father is an earl who holds a considerable amount of wealth and influence, while Rachel grew up in a poor yet refined household. Not only is her father revealed to be alive through a photograph, but next to him stands his legitimate daughter — meaning that Rachel is illegitimate.
Her mother’s death and the lies that completely upturned her identity and all she’s known weigh heavily on her soul, and Rachel isn’t just going to wallow around without a taste of her own justice. She assumes a new identity in London with the sole purpose of destroying her father — along with Olivia, her half-sister’s — influence. But her plans come to a halt when she finds Olivia surprisingly endearing, and when she finds herself catching feelings for her half-sister’s fiancé — just how will her plan succeed?
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Chloe Gong is a prominent author in the bookish community, loved for her fantasy/sci-fi books such as Immortal Longings and Vilest Things, a duology that is loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. These Violent Delights was the debut novel that started it all. Set in 1920s Shanghai, book one of the These Violent Delights duology follows a blood feud between two opposing gangs: the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers. Eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai is the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang, while Roma Montagov stands as the anticipated and revered heir to the White Flowers — who also happens to be her former lover. But when a dangerous river monster and a mysterious madness threaten the city, Juliette and Roma have no choice but to team up against a danger that may very well end both of their gangs.
If this forbidden romance is starting to sound a bit familiar, you guessed it — These Violent Delights is a 1920s-style reimagining of one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays, Romeo and Juliet, a story of star-crossed lovers and feuding families. The protagonists’ names are self-explanatory, but Juliette is (obviously) Juliet, and Roma is none other than Romeo. But will Juliette and Roma share the same fate?
1930s
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Although the Great War may be over, a new danger is soon to consume America. Elsa Wolcott is a spinster when she meets Rafe Martinelli, a man she barely knows but desperately needs in order to survive as a woman in the South. With the 1930s comes a grave economic depression that leaves millions of Americans out of work — even worse, a drought has taken over the Great Plains, threatening the livelihoods of farmers as the Earth’s merciless environmental change takes a heavy toll. The Martinelli farm is on the verge of ruin, and so is her marriage. To survive and endure this devastating time, Elsa must make a choice: to stay and fight, or leave with her family to search for a better life.
I can’t help but admire the perseverance of those who endured the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl — it just seems so unimaginable to even fathom the hardship. Kristin Hannah gives readers an emotionally rich narrative driven by family and survival. Her most recognized books include The Nightingale and The Great Alone, both of which include similar elements. Readers, your TBR is waiting!
The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman
In this beautifully emotional debut novel by Patricia Harman, she pulls readers into Depression-era and poverty-stricken Appalachia through the perspective of Patience Murphy, a widowed midwife persevering through prejudice, disease, and poverty in her endurance to help mothers safely bring life into a world that seems to be crumbling. Her past has its own demons, too. This novel features romance as a subplot, focusing on Patience’s role as a midwife during the Depression.
Midwives were incredibly essential during the days when childbirth wasn’t as commonly medicalized as it is now — it’s interesting to see how they carried out their jobs during an era of continuous hardship. Patricia Harman spent over 30 years as a midwife herself, and later wrote a sequel titled The Reluctant Midwife: A Hope River Novel. For readers interested in the role of midwifery during the early half of the 20th century, this book should definitely be added to your TBR!
1940s
Love in a Fallen City by Eileen Chang, Translated by Karen S. Kingsbury
This list simply wouldn’t be complete without at least one literary fiction recommendation. Love in a Fallen City was first written and published in 1943 when WWII was at its peak. The NYRB edition features Love in a Fallen City among other short works that all depict passion, human relationships, love, psychological ambiguity, and a shifting society. The protagonist, Bai Liusu, is a divorced woman who falls in love with Fan Liuyuan, a wealthy playboy returning from England. After trials and tribulations, their love perseveres while the city they inhabit experiences the opposite, deteriorating and falling under Japanese occupation.
Eileen Chang has authored other works such as Half a Lifelong Romance, Little Reunions, and Lust, Caution — all of which take place during the 1930s–1940s. Chang is considered to be one of the most influential female writers in 20th-century Chinese literature. For readers interested in a story that acts as a first-hand account of the attitudes of Shanghai and Hong Kong civilians during the 1940s, this book is a definite must-read.
The Charioteer by Mary Renault
Until 1967, homosexuality in England was considered a criminal act. Mary Renault’s The Charioteer follows Laurie Odell, a veteran recovering at a rural hospital after receiving an injury at Dunkirk during WWII. He finds companionship with Andrew, and soon, their budding friendship blossoms into a secret romance. But when a mentor from Laurie’s schoolboy days comes back into his life, Laurie is forced to choose between living a life of innocence or seeking new experiences and the thrill that comes with them.
The Charioteer was originally published in London in 1953, more than two decades before homosexuality would be decriminalized in England. Renault later authored her most famous work, The Persian Boy, a novel that also centers around queer romantic relationships. For readers who are interested in reading a novel that defied societal expectations by discussing one of the most hushed subjects of her time, The Charioteer is a book I cannot recommend enough.
Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian
A murder mystery and a historical romance? Cat Sebastian really came in clutch with this one! Hither, Page follows James Sommers, a shell-shocked doctor, and Leo Page, a spy. James desperately wants to escape the shadows of the war, returning to his quiet village in search of peace and safety. Meeting Leo shouldn’t have happened, and catching feelings for him is the last thing James needs. When Leo is assigned to cover up a murder and is sent to James’s village, the last thing he expects to do is catch feelings in return — such a distraction would surely tamper with the mission. But the longer Leo remains in the village, the more he discovers that there are secrets hidden beneath its simple appearance.
Cat Sebastian has also authored popular works such as We Could Be So Good: A Novel and You Should Be So Lucky, two 20th-century romance books that center around queer romances. For readers interested in a story that brings two complex characters together to solve a mystery, then this book should definitely be added to your TBR.
Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris
Executive Order 9066 forced the incarceration of over 100,000 Japanese Americans, and Kristina McMorris’s Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is a perfect depiction of the devastating effects of the order. Maddie Kern is a violinist who falls in love with her brother’s best friend, Lane Moritomo, an ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared to fight for her and Lane against her parents’ expected disapproval, but when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor the day after the two of them elope, things quickly begin to fall apart. Maddie sacrifices her Juilliard aspirations and follows Lane as he is sent to a Japanese internment camp.
Kristina McMorris successfully investigates a more complicated and darker side to American history, showcasing how love and the human spirit endure through hardship. Her other books include Sold on a Monday, a book that explores the struggles of the Great Depression. Kristina McMorris has a wide selection of historical novels that readers are sure to enjoy.
1950s
The World Unseen by Shamim Sarif
Shamim Sarif’s The World Unseen definitely deserves some more recognition. Set in 1950s South Africa, Amina is a free-spirited young woman who has broken societal conventions of her Indian community and the apartheid-led government by running a café with her POC business partner, Jacob. When a young wife and mother named Miriam steps into the picture, the two develop mutual feelings of attraction for the other, feelings that push Miriam to question herself and the rules that bind her.
The World Unseen (2007) is a movie adaptation of the book directed by Shamim Sarif herself, starring Sheetal Sheth as Amina and Lisa Ray as Miriam. This sapphic love story is sure to keep any reader up at night as they follow Amina and Miriam taking risks to keep their love alive.
Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams
We couldn’t just make a historical romance book list without bringing in at least one Beatriz Williams book. Husbands & Lovers pulls readers back and forth between two time periods and two settings — Mallory Dunne in New England, 2022, and Hannah Ainsworth in Cairo, 1951.
In New England, 2022, Mallory Dunne receives the fearful news that her son has suffered acute poisoning from a death cap mushroom at summer camp. Mallory desperately searches for a donor kidney that can save her son’s life, and is inevitably forced to confront the secrets of her mother’s adoption from an Irish orphanage in 1952, and her own sweeping summer romance from 14 years ago.
In Cairo, 1951, Hannah Ainsworth is a Hungarian refugee who suffered a grave tragedy during the war and has since built a respectable life for herself by being married to a wealthy British diplomat. But when she engages in an irresistible affair with a hotel manager, Hannah is confronted with the strong desire to regain everything that she had lost. Now pregnant, Hannah struggles between the attention and intrigue of two men as the revolution slowly swarms the streets of Egypt.
Beatriz Williams’s writing is sure to immerse any reader into the past. Her more popular books include The Secret Life of Violet Grant and The Summer Wives. If you’re looking for a story that tells the trials and tribulations of two women in two vastly different time periods, then Husbands & Lovers is the pick for you.
1960s
Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams
Here we are with yet again another Beatriz Williams pick! Book three of The Schuyler Sisters Novels guides readers to an eventful autumn in the year 1966. The story follows Pepper Schuyler, who is pregnant from an affair with a married, famed politician. To save her and her baby, Pepper sells a rare vintage Mercedes at auction. The person who buys it, however, has simmering secrets of her own. Annabelle Dommerich had been married to a Nazi, had a Jewish lover, and possessed a love for the ages. As the novel progresses, Pepper and Annabelle’s lives intertwine as they have no choice but to confront their troubled pasts.
Book one of The Schuyler Sisters Novels is none other than The Secret Life of Violet Grant, and book two is titled Tiny Little Thing. Each book of the series entails the lives of Vivian, Christina, and Pepper Schuyler as they navigate inequality, passion, and love. For readers who love the endurance of women as they clash with the events of their time, Beatriz Williams has it in store for you.
An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton
Yes, yes, we do have another book recommendation that has the word “infinite” in it. But what can I say, is love not truly infinite? Chanel Cleeton’s An Infinite Love Story pulls readers to the Space Race that dominated 1960s America. In 1968, America sits back in anticipation as Joe Mitchell, an astronaut, is launched into space. But when his spacecraft loses contact, his wife, Vivian, is overwhelmingly distraught by the living nightmare. She refuses to accept that their love story has come to such a terrible end and is desperate to clear her husband’s name and find out what truly happened. Then someone sends Vivian messages, messages that only Joe himself could send. Can their love truly withstand space and time?
Chanel Cleeton has also authored other works such as The Perez Family series (or The Cuba Saga), a historical fiction series that begins in Havana, Cuba. For readers looking to dive into a story of a love that perseveres through doubt, An Infinite Love Story is the pick for you.
Confessions in B-Flat by Donna Hill
Last but certainly not least, Donna Hill’s Confessions in B-Flat is a strong final contender for your TBR. Hill sets the scene in Harlem, 1963, where the fight for equality across a racially divided America only grows stronger. Jason Tanner arrives in New York with a message from his mentor, Martin Luther King Jr., to spread the word of passive resistance. On the other hand, poet Anita Hopkins deeply resonates with Malcom X’s “by any means necessary” ideology of true freedom. But when Jason and Anita meet at the B-Flat lounge, they’re immediately transfixed by each other.
But although freedom is what they both desperately want for the Black community and culture, their conflicting ideologies are too vastly different to ignore. Is their love strong enough to surpass their beliefs? Read Confessions in B-Flat to see how Jason and Anita’s love story unfolds, obstacles and passions and all.
Reading historical romance fiction never ceases to remind me how love can persevere even in the darkest of times. My TBR shelf just got 16 new books — which decade in the 20th century will you dive into first?
In the mood for more exciting romances? Click here to see what romance books the Bookstr team cannot stop swooning over!
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