The Historical Romance Forum here at HerStory Books is a forum where readers and writers of the historical romance genre can come together to discuss spotlighted books and great historical romance authors like Nicole Jordan, Gaelen Foley, Teresa Medeiros, Sorcha MacMurrough, Eloisa James, Cheryl Holt, Jacinta Carey, Stephanie Laurens, Liz Carlyle, Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, and more.

What makes a great historical romance? The characters, of course. The unfolding of the love story. And the love scenes. The romance should be given pride of place, and if the book is intended as part of a series, it should be a standalone romance novel. There is nothing worse than a book totally crowded with secondary characters who get in the way of the love story.

A great historical romance should also capture the period of time, without being weighed down with too many historical details. The characters should also express at least some of the sensibilities of the time, rather than be too modern. There is nothing worse than a historical romance novel in which they are all just acting like modern people in Regency costume.

Regency novels in particular have had that problem, and of course have been spiced up to the point of reading like a trashy modern novel. Sorcha MacMurrough’s Regency novels are excellent because they capture the period with all its lusty exuberance, yet are historically accurate and intriguing too. The hints of mystery in all the Rakehell novels are excellent. To read more about them, visit http://www.herstorybooks.com/intro-rakehells.htm

So too are her Napoleonic war novels in the Scars of the Heart series, first-class historical romance on a par with the Sharpe series of historical novels, but with some really sizzling couples falling in love amid the backdrop of the most challenging times in Europe.

To read more about them, go to http://www.herstorybooks.com/napoleonic.htm

So if you love great historical romance, to read, write or review, this is the place for you.