Historical Romance - why it still slaps
Babe, don't threaten me with a good time
[PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT I AM NOT A SOCIOLOGIST OR A HISTORIAN OR EVEN AN ENGLISH MAJOR… THIS ALL STEMS FROM A RANDOM THOUGHT I HAD ON THE SUBWAY LAST WEEK… OK TYVM]
I am an avid reader of Historical Romance novels. The spicier the better. I love angst and banter and tension, and just about everything except for those laced with excessive misogyny and purity culture. This is a timeless genre that has inspired the entire romance umbrella as a whole. My favorite bookstore pulled its name from the tropes, The Ripped Bodice (located in Culver City, California and Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York).
[^my first trip to The Ripped Bodice was with Papa Peed when we were in Culver City for my cousin’s wedding. He had almost as much fun as I did!]
While the “bodice rippers” of the 1970s and 1980s often had rape and assault sprinkled throughout, our favorite love stories have evolved past abuse and now trend toward have enthusiastic consent. (A Brief History of the Romance Novel) In fact, the term has possibly persisted so long as a way to belittle and diminish the novels consumed predominantly by women. (Why We Still Call Them Bodice Rippers)
ANYWAY, regardless of labels, I’ve always been a sucker for the genre, especially in audio format. I love to listen to them while I work or on long road trips. My love started with Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series while I was on my first show after college - often spending 2+ hours a day in my car and 12 hours alone in the office. Then when Bridgerton came out on Netflix, I binged that series (with my parents & yiayia - not uncomfortable at all) and did a deep dive into Julia Quinn. I now have favorite authors and favorite series by each other (see recs below). I never questioned my love of the genre or what made them so easy to digest. They make the best audiobook slump breaker in my experience.
Can’t figure out what you’re in the mood to listen to? Pop on a historical romance (or a Ruby Dixon, but that will have to be the subject of another article).
Recently, I started pondering if the appeal was subconsciously pining for a simpler time when the only thing women had to worry about was marriage, not working, paying bills, scheduling PT, etc. (It is worth noting, that the sub-genre predominately focuses on white women of means, specifically before they run their own household which is a full time job.) This theory always sat funny with me and my particular brand of feminism, but I figured it’s fiction, escapism, and a guaranteed happy ending, no need to feel “guilty” about something that brings me pleasure and doesn’t hurt anyone. (Okay I’m thinking that will be another article; who knew I had so many ideas!)
[^This isn’t even the entire historical romance section at the Park Slope location of The Ripped Bodice]
Well last week I had an epiphany (katrina’s version). The leads are often (at least in the vast majority) outsiders, wallflowers, or quirky in a way that does not blend well with society’s expectations for them. In other words, they’re almost always “not like other girls.” [Just like the 90s and 00s pulled the genre away from assault and towards consent, I’d assert that the 2010s and 2020s have shifted the genre towards women supporting and respecting women. Basically our heroines (this time with an e ;)) are uniquely themselves without begrudging women who “conform” with expectations.]
The leads are often (at least in the vast majority) outsiders, wallflowers, or quirky in a way that does not blend well with society’s expectations for them.
While these stories (and sometimes characters) are brimming with propriety, classism, purity culture, and misogyny. They also center around women who do not fit the mold society demands of women in their era. These mold-breakers always find love anyway. I’d originally chalked up this trend in archetype to making the protagonists “relatable” or “special,” or even a tactic to explain to modern readers the societal norms of the period. But it’s more than that! They don’t just find love because it’s supposedly so important to be married off, but they WIN AT THE GAME. This was my big AHA! In their world, society has told these women that the only accomplishment worth having is a husband (and there are levels of success within that), and that they are not suitable for “quality” matches because they do not conform. And these baddies say, “hold my beer.”
The “game” is designed by their society. The “game” that they are constantly told they cannot succeed in. No wonder these stories are timeless.
Two to three centuries after these stories, women are still put in metaphorical boxes and fight our way to pave new paths. The glass ceilings are higher, but they’re still there. We all saw Barbie right?
These storylines continue to appeal to contemporary women who do not meet modern day “expectations for womanhood” yet persist nevertheless. Whether that is finding love, starting a family, or building an empire, women face extra obstacles. Historical romances may be formulaic [predominantly heterosexual, affluent, & white] stories that set up partnership as the only path to fulfillment, but really they’re manuscripts of women finding fulfillment on their own terms. In spite of society’s expectations.
In the best “bodice rippers,” the heroes recognize the heroine’s “flaws” or “defects” as assets and not hindrances. They see all the reasons and she may not be “suitable” and love her passionately because of these traits. Sure it’s annoying they’re still playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes, but they’re “defeating the odds.” It’s refreshing, encouraging, inspiring, and peak escapism to have comforting (and yes, predictable) stories where women win the games they’re forced to play, (and receive more pleasure than imaginable along the way). “You caged me and then you called me crazy” - Taylor Alison Swift
So the next time someone says you can’t get into your first choice of school, that you’ll probably never move across the country to the city of your dreams, or you won’t find a partner until you change your body… F*ck 'em!
Peed’s Reads - Historical Romance TOP Recs
There are soooooo many great historical romances out there; I’ve only scratched the surface. But of the (possibly nearing 100) historical romance novels I’ve consumed to date, these are my standouts.
[disclaimer: they are very white, very English, and very straight. Now I know what I like and what I don’t like, and I intend to prioritize branching out to more diverse historical romances. Queer love and people of color shall fill my virtual shelves next!]
Elizabeth Hoyt - The Maiden Lane Series
My personal Gold Standard! COMPLETED series with 12 books and 6 novellas
[^the first time I saw The Rokesbys Series was when dad picked out Girl With the Make-Believe Husband for me at The Ripped Bodice and said, “look, Katrina! it’s you!”]
Julia Quinn - Rokesbys Series
I’ve read most of her series now, but this is by far my favorite! It has the most adventure! COMPLETED series with 4 books. (It’s technically a Bridgerton prequel)
Lisa Kleypas - The Ravenels Series
Honestly the first series I read by her on the recommendation of a friend, but now I need to go back and read The Wallflowers. COMPLETED series with 7 books. [my favorite was Chasing Cassandra]
Tessa Dare - Girl Meets Duke Series
Tessa had been hit or miss for me and then I saw everyone talking about The Duchess Deal, I figured, what the hell?! Y’ALL! I GAVE A BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RE-TELLING FIVE STARS!!! (I realize this is my first stack and y’all don’t know me, but that’s absolutely bonkers and out of character for me…. You’ll have to trust me) It is laugh out loud funny and so endearing. INCOMPLETE series: 3 of 4 books published (unclear if we will ever get the 4th)
Evie Dunmore - A League of Extraordinary Women Series
The first historical romance that I’ve ever read as it’s released. I have one left, but I'm holding out because I’m not ready for it to be finished. COMPLETED series with 4 books. These follow women’s rights activists in Victorian England, specifically pushing to abolish the Married Women’s Property Act. (swoon and learn?! say less!)(Portrait of a Scotsman is my favorite so far.)
Eloisa James - The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Review Geek included Wilde in Love (#3 in this series) on their 10 Best Historical Romance Novels of All Time list, so I had to check it out. Here are my thoughts in less than 60 seconds. (cringe, I know) I’m currently making my way through this series and have loved all three I’ve read so far (3-5). Eloisa James has been hit or miss for me historically, so I was excited to find a series I can sink my teeth into from her. Her contemporary novel Lizzie & Dante, published as Mary Bly, is one of my all time favorite novels.
Please consider using my Ripped Bodice affiliate link below to purchase or peruse any of these recommendations. I may receive a slight commission from each purchase!
Hyper-fixation du jour: puffins!
For the holiday weekend my friends and I went up to Boothbay Harbor, Maine to see the puffins! These little critters are incredible! We booked the Audobon Puffin & Scenic Cruise with Capn’n Fish’s Cruises. [After speaking with a friend who did their Whale Watch & Puffin Combo Cruise a few weeks before us, and from our own experience, we suggest sticking to this 2.5 hour tour and skipping the longer rides that still do not guarantee a whale sighting.]
We had an awesome guide named Kat (short for Katriona according to her name tag, so you know she’s legit) from the Audobon Seabird Institute and a part of Project Puffin!
Fun Facts I learned on this excursion:
Puffins are not penguins
Puffins are small… Atlantic Puffins are about the same size as a crow!
There’s this whole class of bird called “seabirds” that LITERALLY LIVE AT SEA?! I don’t know why, but I always thought birds were land (well sky) creatures and like some could swim. I didn’t know they literally go out and live on the water for YEARS! Puffins leave the nest when they fledge or whatever and don’t come back to land (to nest) FOR FIVE YEARS!!! Idk why, but I just cannot wrap my mind around birds living at sea.
They mate for life and like have a kid once a year from 5 to death (up to 22 kids). But as me, Katrina, a fabulous lady single at 29, I couldn’t help but wonder “how?” Like what happens if it’s time to go back to land and you don’t have a boo?
Puffins dive up to 200 feet for fish and re-surface in less than two minutes. Sounds absolutely exhausting if you ask me. My ears could never. (Do birds get sinus infections? Do fish?)
Not everyone knows you get more sea-sick inside a boat than outside.
Maine NEEDS the lighthouses they’re so proud of.
Birding guides should lead with the fun facts about the birds so then we pay attention to the name and description to know what to look for. So many times we zoned out and then heard “they dive bomb!” or “the baby bird pecks at the orange dot on the parents’ beak until they regurgitate their last meal to feed them. See, all kids push their parents’ buttons!” and couldn’t recall what the bird was called or looked like or anything.
Bird watching probably isn’t my next hobby. SUPER COOL THOUGH!
Binoculars are hard to use….
Here are some pictures from our trip:
[P.S. In compiling this list I realized 3 of these successful writers have “disappeared.” Honestly, good for them! I’m so grateful for the joy they’ve brought into my life with their characters and stories. I hope they made that coin and are off living their “The Lucky One (taylor’s version)” best lives. But I feel like there is something there… 3rd idea for an article…?]
I love subway thoughts turned bookish deep dive! While I don’t read a ton of romance myself, this was so interesting to read! (Also the pictures of your dad at The Ripped Bodice are amazing.)