Kyra and I were emailing regarding her review, and I asked her what Tudor romances she recommends as the “best ever.” She says, “I don't have a “best ever” Tudor romance or author yet … I'm only recently embracing the sub-genre, which is still a rare cat compared to Regency.”
The devil you say!
I remember reading more Tudor romances years ago, but then, Blaze Wyndham (SB Grade: B+) was one of two books I brought with me to Spain as an exchange student — both times. Oh, exchange students with your digital books, I envy you.
Anyway, Blaze Wyndham is my bar for Tudor romance, both in the complete overwhelming crazysauce of some of the antics of Blaze and her sisters, and in the full immersion into Bertice Small's version of Henry VIII's court (and speaking of crazysauce, boy howdy).
But when I think of other Tudor romances I've read, there aren't many (Blaze must have cast a long shadow) and they weren't particularly memorable in a good way.
So I thought to ask y'all: which Tudor romances do you love most? Are there any you adore or re-read or recommend to others? As Kathe Robin from RT says, we've been reading about the Regency for twice as long as the actual Regency existed, but what about the Tudors? Twice the fabric, three times the drama? What Tudor romances do you recommend — or suggest readers avoid?
Alison Weir, who’s written several Tudor Biographies, has 3 Tudor-era novels:
Innocent Traitor (which is about Jane Grey’s ill-fated seat on the crown)
The Lady Elizabeth (Elizabeth I before she was queen)
A Dangerous Inheritance (flips back and forth between Katherine Grey during the reign of Mary and Elizabeth and Kate, the bastard daughter of Richard III)
I’ve enjoyed all of them, although I wouldn’t say they were romances.
Mary Hooper writes some amazing Tudor YA romances, and I quite enjoyed The Lacey Chronicles (start with The Other Countess) by Eve Edwards. It’s YA too, but still good, sweet.
Oops! I was so thrilled to find other Dorothy Dunnett readers I got discombobulated. Which, hey – the Johnson Johnson Dolly novels are available as ebooks! Not remotely Tudor, or much in the way of romance, really, but oh, Dorothy Dunnett.
One more vote for The Perilous Guard, a wonderful G rated Tudor romance. Loved it in middle school and love it now. My daughter is almost old enough to read it and I can’t wait to share it with her!
It’s not a romance, more an alternate history adventure story, but I thought “The Armor of Light” by Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett was a great read. In this story Sir Philip Sidney and Christopher Marlowe are the heroes.
Some of Philippa Gregory’s books just about qualify as romances. I’m thinking particularly of the Queen’s Fool, which has a Jewish girl as the heroine.
Anne Stuart has some historicals that are definitely pre-Regency or Georgian, but I can’t tell you exactly what era. “Hidden Honor” and “Lord of Danger” are two of them.
Ages and ages ago, I read a Rebecca Brandywine that was set in the War of the Roses, called “Rose of Rapture.” Now, this was in the sweeping-saga Old Skool crazysauce era, so I don’t know if it holds up but if I remember it all these years later, it must have struck a chord.
I l.o.v.e. Anya Seton. Her book Katherine is one of my favorite love stories of all time. (though it is set in the 14th century).
I’m a little foggy about eras of British history, so these recommendations are not strictly Tudor, but they are quite a bit earlier than the Regency. I second the Anne O’Brien recommendation, “Puritan Bride” is set in 1663, “Chosen for the Marriage Bed” is set in 1460, both good. Also, Claire Thornton wrote a great trilogy set during the Great Fire of London, my favorite of the 3 is “The Vagabond Duchess”, but the other 2 are also pretty good.
I’ll second “The Armor of Light”
Roberta Gellis wrote The Dragon and the Rose which is about the first Tudor king Henry VII and his queen Elizabeth of York. The War of the Roses forms the backdrop of the story which begins with Henry’s birth, details his childhood years and exile in Brittany all the way to his struggle for the crown, his courtship of and marriage to Elizabeth and his early years as king of England. I enjoyed this book. It was well written – obviously Gellis did extensive research but managed to leaven the book with a good dose of wit and humor. I did think she made Elizabeth rather unlikable at times and tended to skim over her parts of the story whenever I reread the book. Definitely preferred reading about Henry which surprised me considering his reputation. Overall it’s an enjoyable and intelligent romance.
Two of my favorite Tudor romances were written by Betina Kran—“Caught in the Act” and “Behind Closed Doors.” The former takes place during the reign of Queen Mary. The latter is the sequel featuring the first book’s daughter and takes place at Elizabeth I’s court. Loved them both, and I wish with all my heart they were available as ebooks…
That old PBS miniseries about the 6 wives of Henry VIII set off a boom in Tudor romances and historical sagas. I think I read every Jean Plaidy book written. Some Philippa Carr books were also set in that period but I think some lacked a satisfying HEA—kind of like the Philippa Gregory books of today.
Molly Costain Haycraft (Thomas B. Costain’s daughter wrote some Tudos—remember Too Near the Throne.
Didn’t Jane Feather and Christina Dodd write some Tudors—I’m having trouble remembering.
Not precisely romances either but I did love the Margaret Campbell Barnes books about Henry VIII’s court/wives/fool and the era. _My Lady of Cleves_ remains a favorite.
Witchstruck, by Victoria Lamb. It’s a YA, but very compelling, Princess Elizabeth is living in captivity ordered by her sister Mary, and is studying witchcraft. Very atmospheric…
In my TBR pile is Heart of Deception by Taylor Chase. It takes place in the Elizabethan underworld. Has anyone else read this?
Ohhhh I *love* Taylor Chase’s books: Heart of Night and Heart of Deception. She does really, really different things with her characters and plots—not a typical, “been-here-done-that” romance read. She’s also a very good writer, imo.
If you like those books, she also wrote under the name ‘Gayle Feyrer’. Her books, Prince of Cups and The Thief’s Mistress, are pretty awesome and on my keeper shelf. They’re both set earlier than the Tudor era, though. 🙂
Another vote for Judith Merkle Riley and Patricia Finney, too.
Jane Feather wrote a couple I would recommend avoiding. I can’t recall their titles, I just remember there are two and that the first had a pink cover and the second in the duet a blue one. The pink one was good, good enough that I picked up the blue but that is where things went horribly wrong. The hero aids in the regular tape of the heroine. They drug her and let some nobleman (possibly the king) have intercourse with her while she is passed out and this happens on a fairly regular basis as they are trying to impregnate her. Gross. Couldn’t finish. And haven’t picked up another Feather since even though I enjoyed her novels writen in other eras.
Not sure why kindle autocorrect made “rape” “tape” and did it again just there and I had to go fix it. Who would program autocorrect that way? Rape is a word. It exist and you can’t autocorrect it out of existence. Anyway, the books were “To Kiss a Spy” and “Kissed by Shadows”. A lot of one star reviews due to the unrealistic relationship between the heroine and the man who literally delivered her to her rapist night after night.
There are not enough words to describe how helpful these responses have been to my own personal quest for Tudor Romances. Just felt I should give SB Sarah and her magnificent readers a shout out.