Historical Fiction takes place from prehistoric times to about the 1990s. In the case of historical romance, the romance will be the main center of attention. In the case of historical fiction, the historical elements will play a strong role in the action and events of the novel. There will likely be some love scenes but the falling in love aspect will perhaps not be center stage compared with the broad sweep of history.

At HerStory Books, we publish historical romance with varying degrees of love scenes, from sweet (no explicit love scenes) to romantic erotica (explicit love scenes throughout the book, some of them ‘edgy’). With our historical fiction, they may contain love scenes, but for the most part it is the characters confronting the march of history that takes precedence over the romance, though the books still feature a strong heroine and hero and there will be a happily ever after.

THY NAME IS LOVE
by Diana Rubino

Genre: Historical Romance

RT Rating;  3 stars

Set against the turmoil of 1471 England, Denys Woodville and Valentine Starbury’s love story is woven through
with the tangled historical threads of the War of the Roses in such a way that history and fiction merge.

Richard of Gloucester plays matchmaker to his friends Valentine, a knight, and Denys, King Edward’s niece. The queen wants Richard to wed Denys, but he marries his beloved Ann, leaving Denys and Val to marry at the king’s command.

Val and Denys are drawn into the conflict that arises when Edward dies and the Woodville followers face off with Richard III and his loyal knights, including Val.

As Richards allies, their lives become even more complicated, with Val as Chancellor of England and Denys as confidante to both Richard and Ann as they follow their destinies toward war.

Anglophiles will enjoy the depth of detail and the large cast of historical personages Ms. Rubino has included in her debut novel. We meet kings, queens, nobles and commoners, even Christopher Columbus, in this colorful tapestry.

DESTINY LIES WAITING
by Diana Rubino
Genre: Historical Romance
Setting: 15th-century England

RT Rating; 3 stars

Elizabeth, married to King Edward Plantagenet, is Denys Dove Woodville’s aunt. Having placed many relatives in high court positions, it is now Denys’ turn. Elizabeth has betrothed her to Edward’s brother, Richard of Gloucester. Neither Denys nor Richard wants this. In love with another woman, Richard persuades his good friend, Valentine Starbury, to woo Denys.

Denys has other plans. Even though she’s attracted to Valentine, she is determined to find out who she really is. Little does she know that what she finds may not bode well for her, her family or even for England.

Even though I thought this historical novel was a most satisfying read, I was a bit disappointed that the mystery of Denys parentage wasn’t fully explained but I am hoping this will all be explained later in the series. I look forward to the next novel, Thy Name is Love.

The Mistaken Miss

Sorcha MacMurrough

The wrong woman!

Philip Marshall’s plans to elope with Johanna Otway go awry when her twin sister Jasmine appears on his doorstep trying to prevent her sibling’s ruination at the hands of London’s most infamous rake.

Far from saving her sister, Jasmine is plunged headlong into disaster, and Philip’s bed. For he does not realize the passionate woman he takes into his embrace is definitely NOT the arctic Johanna until it’s too late.

Philip had fully intended to ruin the Otway family through the seduction of their heiress. He had no idea a nearly identical twin sister even existed. Now he finds himself drawn to Jasmine in the most unexpected ways. Who has seduced whom?

As Philip determines that Jasmine is the one woman in the world who can ever make him truly whole, he decides he does not even care about the Otway family fortune.

Only by coming to terms with his horrendous hidden past, and gaining Jasmine’s trust, can Philip face the future, and win the love of the remarkable woman whom a strange quirk of Fate has bestowed upon him.

Jasmine is a quiet bluestocking who rushes up to London to try to prevent her sister from eloping with the Ton’s most notorious rake.

But the man she meets is completely different from what she ever expected. The magical spark between them produces one unforgettable night of love with far-reaching consequences.

For Jasmine’s father Frederick is nothing if not implacable in his hatred of Philip and his family. He would rather see his own daughter dead than Philip happily in love with her. Frederick sets about ruining both their lives with the deft skill of a cat playing with a mouse.

Johanna too is livid at losing her rich, handsome conquest to her quiet little sister, and is determined to seduce Philip away from Jasmine, the better to help her father ruin him.

Jasmine must trust to love, and uncover the truth about her family and the destruction her father has caused. She is certain that Fate brought them together for a reason, to heal Philip, and grant him true love at long last.

Jasmine transforms thanks to his love, and becomes a fierce tigress to protect the man she adores. She fights tooth and nail for the passionate relationship they have forged through walking through fire together to keep their enemies at bay.

Philip never imagined any woman could ever forgive his dark past, let alone a girl as untouched and innocent as Jasmine. Will his erotic passions be the making of Jasmine, or bring about her ruin?

As she licked her lips nervously, Philip pounced.

She was stunned by the kiss, for the last thing she had ever expected was that the man her sister was getting ready to elope with would actually DARE to presume…

But even more stunning was that rather than filling her with revulsion, Jasmine found her arms creeping around his neck, her lips pressing even more tightly to his own.

His busy hands were already tumbling her thick luxuriant fall of honey-blond hair down over her shoulders, running his fingers through it to loosen the braids so that it flowed freely over her curved back and down across her breasts.

She held her breath as he stroked one tress from the top of her head down past her cheek, neck, shoulder, and finally her bosom.

One hand on her back arched her chest upwards to press tightly to his, and she could feel herself stroking his silk waistcoat, insinuating her fingers into the space between the buttons in an effort to grasp her reeling world and the incredible man who held her in his arms…

Rating: Extremely Sensual

Click on the link to read the first chapter: The Mistaken Miss