The best swoon-worthy Christian historical romance novels with a little bit of everything to escape reality

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I can remember I had a special love for western romance books. My mom has written several books set in 1800s America and that probably stirred me in that direction as well since I love her books (they're in German, which is why I couldn’t recommend them). Regency has become my second historical fiction genre, which is probably why I write and read both time periods. I'm a German-born US-Indie author and total romance fanatic. I write Christian Romance set mostly in the above time periods. I'm a massive Harry Potter fan, have been married to my husband for nearly 18 years and we have two teenage sons. 


I wrote...

Healing the Orphaned Heart

By Rebecca Lange,

Book cover of Healing the Orphaned Heart

What is my book about?

A move across the country... A dowry that turns into a curse... A marshal that captures her heart...

After her father’s death, Rose is sent to live with her uncle and his family, whom she hasn’t seen in over twelve years. Terrified of the reception she’ll receive, Rose makes the journey alone and quickly realizes that her late father’s wealth has made her a target for not just journalists but dowry hunters everywhere. Will her relatives in Colorado take her in with open arms, or was this arrangement forced on them, and would it turn into another disappointment? And, is Rose’s future already sealed by a parade of lies, or is there hope for a happy ending and the healing of her orphaned heart?

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Secrets and Suitors

Rebecca Lange Why did I love this book?

A swoon-worthy love story. A handsome young man who gives you all the feels. A young woman standing her ground. A passionate kiss that is so worth the wait. 

What can I say, I am totally in love with this story. Secrets and Suitors was one of the books that made me fall in love with the regency period. It has everything I want in a good story, without the steam and inappropriate scenes. The shy main character has to learn to fight for her rights and the man she loves and not let her father dictate her life. I love a strong female lead, willing to deal with the consequences by going for what they want.

By Joanna Barker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Secrets and Suitors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Reluctantly returning to London for yet another Season, shy Nora Hamilton has nearly given up hope that she will ever find the love match she longs for. After all, the one man she does harbor feelings for—her closest friend, James—has made it perfectly clear he views her as just that: a friend. With James traveling half a world away and Nora’s father pressuring her to marry for wealth and status, Nora is forced to set aside her desire for love and accept the future she has always dreaded. Until James returns unexpectedly and Nora’s feelings once again rush unbearably close…


Book cover of A Proper Charade

Rebecca Lange Why did I love this book?

What a delightful read. Lady Patience Kendrick disguises herself as a maid to prove to her elder brother that she can work just as hard as servants, and gets hired by the staff or her brother’s former general. What could go wrong? Unfortunately for her, it isn’t the general she works for, but the general’s handsome and charming son who does not have the same standing as her and is desperately trying to impress a young woman to become his bride. As if pretending to be a maid isn’t hard enough, the young man comes up with the idea of having Patience act like a lady to convince the other young woman’s parents he is a good match. Enjoyable, humorous, and lots of romantic moments.

By Esther Hatch,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Proper Charade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Does love have a chance if she doesn’t play by the rules?

Lady Patience Kendrick was born to a life of privilege, and with the London Season looming, she finds herself facing unprecedented pressure to adhere to the rules of society. Unfortunately, the free-spirited young woman is anything but proper. Patience’s elder brother, a former military man, bemoans his sister’s antics—but when he accuses her of incurable frivolity, it is simply more than she can bear. Determined to prove her brother wrong, Patience undertakes a drastic experiment: she will disguise herself as a maid and demonstrate her ability to work…


Book cover of His Amiable Bride: A Featherbottom Chronicles Novella

Rebecca Lange Why did I love this book?

This was a sweet regency novella. I enjoyed the characters and plot, even though it was a bit rushed at times and the ending a bit abrupt, but it was a delightful read and kept me hooked enough that I wanted to know what would happen next. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

By Kasey Stockton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked His Amiable Bride as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Can something beautiful grow from a marriage born of spite?

When Cori Featherbottom accepts her neighbor’s shocking marriage proposal, she has no idea that he still loves her sister—until after the wedding. Guarding her heart, she determines to make the most of her loveless relationship and find a friend in her husband.

Adam Arnett does the only thing he knows for certain will remove a title-hungry flirt—he marries her sister. It doesn’t take long before he finds himself attracted to his new bride, but when her sister tries to throw a wrench in their budding relationship he must fight to…


Book cover of To Catch the Wind

Rebecca Lange Why did I love this book?

This book gives you all the feels, including aggression and anger toward the husband of the main character who is abusive and vile. Oh, I know that it is just fiction, but abusive swine like him exist and make me so angry. Despite that part, it is a beautiful story full of love and hope while facing the dangers of the Oregon Trail. I love the interactions between Ben and Lynn, even though he has to discover first that she is a girl, since she disguises herself as a man to escape her abusive husband. It is a good clean western romance with swoon-worthy moments and characters you either love or deeply hate. I loved reading it and I hope to dive into the author‘s other books soon.

By Charli West,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked To Catch the Wind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Love is a journey as treacherous as the Oregon Trail. Lynn Malen has finally reached her breaking point. Determined to escape an abusive marriage and get out of Independence, Missouri, she disguises herself as a young man and changes her name to “Larry” to get the last spot on a wagon train heading west. Accompanied by folks who are also looking for a new future, Lynn finds comfort and friends along the trail. What she didn’t expect to find was an attraction to Ben Alenson, the strong, brusque, and determined wagon master. After this wagon train reaches its destination, Ben…


Book cover of Saving Shadow: A Regency Spy Romance

Rebecca Lange Why did I love this book?

For England's top spy, love is not an option. Well, that’s at least what the main character thinks, but Eliza quickly discovers that the partner she is paired up with makes falling in love suddenly a very possible option. It is a very interesting and captivating story with a twist because Lady Eliza happens to be the daughter of a duke, yet a secret spy for the crown. Her code name: Shadow. It is an action-packed story that keeps you on the edge of your seat while falling in love with the characters and swooning along the way. A must-read for regency lovers with the hint-feel of a thriller.

By Laura Beers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Saving Shadow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For England's top spy, love is not an option

Born with a perfect memory, Lady Elizabeth Beckett has become one of the world’s most notorious spies, despite being the daughter of a duke. She is shielded only by her code name: Shadow. When young ladies of High Society begin disappearing from London, Eliza has no doubt who is orchestrating these crimes; a heinous man she has been investigating for years. Vowing to save them before they are sold to the highest bidder, she must risk everything to stop him.

Lord Sinclair was perfectly content being the second son of a…


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Book cover of Dulcinea

Ana Veciana-Suarez Author Of Dulcinea

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I became fascinated with 16th-century and 17th-century Europe after reading Don Quixote many years ago. Since then, every novel or nonfiction book about that era has felt both ancient and contemporary. I’m always struck by how much our environment has changed—transportation, communication, housing, government—but also how little we as people have changed when it comes to ambition, love, grief, and greed. I doubled down my reading on that time period when I researched my novel, Dulcinea. Many people read in the eras of the Renaissance, World War II, or ancient Greece, so I’m hoping to introduce them to the Baroque Age. 

Ana's book list on bringing to life the forgotten Baroque Age

What is my book about?

Dolça Llull Prat, a wealthy Barcelona woman, is only 15 when she falls in love with an impoverished poet-solder. Theirs is a forbidden relationship, one that overcomes many obstacles until the fledgling writer renders her as the lowly Dulcinea in his bestseller.

By doing so, he unwittingly exposes his muse to gossip. But when Dolça receives his deathbed note asking to see her, she races across Spain with the intention of unburdening herself of an old secret.

On the journey, she encounters bandits, the Inquisition, illness, and the choices she's made. At its heart, Dulcinea is about how we betray the people we love, what happens when we succumb to convention, and why we squander the few chances we get to change our lives.

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