I tend to associate the day after Christmas with biographies (for some reason, those show up a lot in my stocking) and slightly squished chocolate. You’re on your own with the chocolate, but if you like biographies, you’ll probably enjoy: — Antonia Fraser’s Mary Queen of Scots. (This book is the direct cause of my…

Reading Anne Stuart’s Lord of Danger last week made me nostalgic for all the medieval (or pseudo-medieval) romances I used to read back in the 80s and early 90s. If you like medieval romances, you’ll probably like…. — Mary Lide’s Ann of Cambray. This was the first romance novel I ever read, the book that…

Yesterday, I’d Rather Read posted on her blog about holiday mysteries (including one of my favorites, Julia Spencer-Fleming’s In the Bleak Midwinter— for those who haven’t read these, it’s an excellent series!). My immediate reaction was, huh? Holiday and mystery? Sounds weird. Then I sat down and started ticking off favorite books on my fingers…

If you like books set during the French Revolution, you’ll probably like…. — Raphael Sabatini’s Scaramouche (which provided a great deal of inspiration for The Orchid Affair!) for old fashioned swash and buckle; — Catherine Delors’ Mistress of the Revolution (and, for those curious about life a few years post-Revolution, For the King); — Michelle…

Last night was Doc Martin night (the British show, not the shoes), which got me thinking about all those TV series I’ve picked up nine-tenths of the way through. I tend to forget about that strange rectangular box in my living room for large chunks of time, which means that I’m constantly years behind the…

Congrats to Andrea Penrose (aka Cara Elliot) whose second Regency mystery, The Cocoa Conspiracy, came out today! Isn’t that a great cover? Also check out Book 1, Sweet Revenge, for the chocolate-based recipes at the start of every chapter….

I noticed in Friday’s Weekly Reading Round-Up that a number of people seem to be reading In a Treacherous Court. So, if you like tales of court intrigue, you’ll probably like…. — Karleen Koen’s Dark Angels, set at the court of Charles II; — Susan Holloway Scott’s The Duchess, detailing the chequered career of Sarah…

If you like lighthearted Regency romances, you’ll probably like…. — Julia Quinn’s novels. I know people swear by the Bridgertons (start with The Duke and I), but don’t neglect the pre-Bridgerton Everything and the Moon and To Catch an Heiress. To Catch an Heiress was one of the inspirations for the original Pink book. —…

If you like romances with a time travel component, you’ll probably like…. — Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, the gold standard by which so many time travel novels are judged– and there are lots of sequels! — Beatriz Williams’ Overseas, which I can’t recommend highly enough– the only hitch is that it doesn’t come out until May…

Last week’s post on historical mysteries got me thinking about another subset of the historical fiction world: the “big” historical novel. I’m referring not just to doorstop quality, but epic sweep. Some of these are entirely stand alone, others are the first in a series, but all have that “big” historical feel. So, if you…