15 best historical romance novels

In these books, the real celebrities come to life, to love and to suffer, like ordinary people. Adjusting for the fact that stories unfold against the backdrop of dramatic events - wars, revolutions, radical reforms, or a palace coup.

If after reading you might want to get to the bottom, it was all really means, the author has achieved his goal. You fell in love with the era! So that they are ready to spend time on boring scientific works and dry the sources.

Historical romance novels with heroes of the ancient world

1. "Nefertiti", Michelle Moran

The fate of the legendary queen of Egypt tells her half-sister - Mutnodzhmet. Unlike Nefertiti, it does not aspire to fame and power. She oversees the legendary ascent to the throne and relatives sometimes forced to engage in intrigues.

Much attention is paid to the relationship with her husband of Nefertiti, Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). Founder of the first in the history of monotheistic religion behaves like a spoiled and stubborn child. According to the American Michelle Moran Nefertiti still managed to tame-hysterical husband.

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2. "Antony and Cleopatra" Colleen McCullough

Australian author Colleen McCullough known mostly for best seller "The Thorn Birds". Although after she managed to publish a few dozen books. "Antony and Cleopatra" - it is the seventh and final novel of the monumental series "Lord of Rome."

At McCullough love story of the last Egyptian queen and the Roman general Mark Antony supplemented by explanations, dates and details. Which certainly adds a hackneyed plot weight and credence. After reading a great risk that you'll want to master the whole cycle starting with the first book.

3. "Selene, daughter of Cleopatra" FRANÇOISE CHANDERNAGOR

This is the first novel of the trilogy "The Forgotten queen" of the fate of the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra, which was married to the king of Mauritania.

For biographies Celeny famous French novelist Francoise Chandernagore found an unexpected move. The story is carried out on behalf of our contemporaries-medium. In the dream, she is reincarnated in the last representative of the genus of the Ptolemies and looks its eyes on the world. And waking up, complements their vision of historical details.

Historical romance with characters XI-XII centuries

1. "Crown for my lady," Patricia Bracewell

And the life and passion of a woman again do not fit into the framework of the whole novel. "Crown for the lady" - is only the first book of the trilogy, "Emma of Normandy."

For political reasons the count of Normandy Richard I gives his 15-year-old daughter to a despotic King Ethelred II of England unwise. Woman surrounded by rivals and detractors. But the light in the window becomes love - an adult son, her husband. It is clear that the forbidden love affair can not flow easily and happily.

Later, Emma would be an influential political figure in the XI century and the only woman who managed to double sit on the British throne. But this - in these books.

2. "Summer Queen" Elizabeth Chadwick

Eleanor of Aquitaine was only 13 years old when she married the king of France, Louis VII. Her marriage was bleak until monarch took a young wife in the Crusade. And there she quickly fell in love with another.

Elizabeth Chadwick - a recognized researcher and reconstructor of the English Middle Ages. In her works filmed the movie "First Knight," with Sean Connery and Richard Gere in the lead roles. So even picky readers will want to know the continuation of the history of Eleanor of the following two books - "Winter's crown" and "Autumn throne."

Historical romance novels with heroes of XV-XVI centuries

1. "The Secret Marriage", Jean Pleydi

The novel gives a detailed response to the question, how did the royal dynasty of the Tudors. The history of the family begins with forbidden love Dowager Queen Catherine of Valois to a simple squire, Owen Tudor.

The present name of the author - Alice Eleanor Hibbert. This English writer known for his phenomenal capacity for work. Every year, from under her pen came out a few books in different genres under separate aliases. It was Victoria Holt to Gothic novels, Philippa Carr for family sagas and Jean Pleydi for love stories of kings.

2. "The Other Boleyn Girl," Philippa Gregory

Gregory Philip called the queen of British historical novel. Her most famous work "The Other Boleyn Girl"Opens the series" The Tudors and the Plantagenets ", which includes 15 books.

Two sisters - Mary and Anne Boleyn - vying for the heart of King Henry VIII. In this struggle, predictably wins more energetic and unscrupulous Anna. And now possessed a passion monarch is willing to divorce his wife, threatening with excommunication from the Catholic Church.

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3. "Make the body", Hilary Mantel

Dame-Commander of the Order of the British Empire Hilary Mantel too could not get past the scene with Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. And rightly so. The novel "Make the body" earned her several prestigious literary awards, including the Booker Prize.

The author is not sprayed on the history of the relationship from start to finish. Her focus is on the last two years of Anne's life. For the sake of marrying the mistress of the king went to the break with Rome, and she never gave him an heir. The disappointment of Henry VIII expertly feeds his first adviser Thomas Cromwell. Wily politician by any means intend to get rid of Anna.

Despite some dryness of presentation, the book pulls and puts his head in the era of the Tudors. Worth reading, and the first book about Thomas Cromwell Mantel "Wolf Hall," for which she also received a Booker.

4. "Marriage Game", Alison Weir

British writer Alison Weir for decades studied the privacy of British monarchs. Its fifth in a row art book dedicated to one of the most controversial novels in the history of the English court - between the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I and Lord Robert Dudley.

Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn alone ruled England for almost 45 years. She never married and left no heirs, cutting off the Tudor dynasty. Elizabeth Weir shows selfish and unbalanced person. She deftly avoids marriage bond, for a ride of the bride and hurts the poor Robert.

Portrait of the heroine contrasts with the canonical image of Elizabeth I, who praised the British for the wisdom and sacrifice. Not surprisingly, the book has angered many Britons. But readers outside England praised novel of psychological depth and a fresh look.

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5. "Queen Margot", Alexandre Dumas

Voluminous novel of one of the most widely read French authors covers only two years of existence of Marguerite de Valois. But the events in it would be enough for several lifetimes.

The book begins with the wedding Catholic Margot Huguenot Henry of Bourbon, King of Navarre. Union, which was to reconcile the two warring religions, turned the massacre of Protestants in the St. Bartholomew's Day. One of the persecuted Huguenots Comte de La Mole asked Margo protection and falls in love with her.

In the novel, a little invented characters. Even de La Mole existed in reality, and it is really attributed to an affair with the queen. However, he was not a Huguenot, a fanatical Catholic, and also the famous adventurer.

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6. "Roksolana" Pavlo Zagrebel'nyi

Roman Paul Zagrebelniy slowly tells the story of how a simple concubine seeking position only wife of a powerful sultan of the Ottoman Empire - Suleiman the Magnificent.

Do not try to find analogies in the classics to the popular TV series "Magnificent Century". In the book there is strawberries, but a lot of philosophical digressions.

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Historical romance novels with heroes of XVIII-XIX centuries

1. "Consuelo," George Sand

The prototype of the main character - a gypsy Consuelo - is the famous opera singer Pauline Viardot. George Sand tied with Pauline a long friendship. That Darkie writer acquainted with her future husband, theater director Paul Viardot. He was older than fatal beauty 21 years and played a key role in her career.

The action of his most famous novel by George Sand brings to Italy the XVIII century. Young Consuelo experiencing betrayal of her lover breaks the conventional patterns, painfully choose between art and feelings. But most importantly, it serves as a real consolation for the neighbors. After all, with its Spanish name is translated - "comfort".

About Consuelo more mature stage of life can be found in the next novel "The Countess Rudolstadt."

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2. "Passion and sorrow Josephine de Beauharnais," Sandra Galland

Most people are aware that the Empress Josephine de Beauharnais was France and wife of Napoleon. But few people know how many tests she had to endure.

Author Sandra from Canada Galland wrote a novel in the form of diaries most Josephine. A reader would like a first-person learns about the vicissitudes of its fate, relations with Napoleon and surrounded by legendary couples. "You'll be shocked at how much you do not know about Bonaparte and the French Revolution," - say the reviewers of the book.

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3. "Victoria and Albert", Evelyn Anthony

A novel of British writer on the marriage of Queen Victoria and her husband Albert was released back in 1958. Since then, no one could tell the story better than Evelyn Anthony.

The book is based on the correspondence and diaries of most of Victoria. She ascended the throne in the 18th and rules Britain nearly 64 year. According to the author, the only weakness of this strong-willed woman was her cousin and her husband, Prince Albert of Saxony. Victoria fell for him at first sight. The young man had no choice, how to marry.

The novel shows how to develop relations between spouses for 20 years - until his death in Alberta 42 years. An interesting detail: while Victoria gave birth to nine children, she never joined the maternal instinct.

4. "Prince. Notes informer ", Edvard Radzinsky

In the book, the narrator two coexist. One - Emperor Alexander II - the story in detail in his diary about the passion for the Princess Catherine Dolgorukova and committed attempt on his life. The second - a double agent in the Prince-cue - devotes reader in conspiracies around the King.

The novel is replete with historical characters, including the king's favorites, the People, the terrorists and even Karl Marx and Fyodor Dostoevsky. It reads weighty volume excitedly - this is acknowledged even by those who disagree with the vision of Edvard Radzinsky.

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