Bookish 📚

Historical Romance 101

Not an authority, but will gladly pose questions for those more experienced!

Characteristics;

1. Historical – after WWII

2. Romance – main aspect of the plot romance between characters

3. Always ends in a happily ever after (HEA) or happy for now (HFN)

4. Classified according to time period or trope

Time periods

Ancient times

Medieval time period, include highlander romances and viking romances

Tudor period

Renaissance period

Elizabethan period

Georgian period

Regency period – most commonly written in (1811-1820)

Victorian era

Modern period

Note: American romances are like another layer! Think of the side by side!

Colonial period

Civil war time period

Western Period in Canada, America, or Australia until WWI

4. Tropes – archetype & themes reported over time ❤️

5. Covers & stepbacks

Can help you identify the genre!

Illustrated = rom-com

6. Smut = intimate scenes

Watch alone! 😂

7. Romance is legit!

– The romance genre grosses a lot for the book industry!

Hierarchy

Monarch (Prince, King)

⬇️

Duke

⬇️

Marquess

⬇️

Earl

⬇️

Viscount

⬇️

Baron

Female archetypes:

Wallflower

Spinster

Diamond 💎 of the 1st Water

Blue-stonking

Lady of the night

Male archetypes:

Rake

Scoundrel

– scandalous

Rogue –

scandalous

Alpha hero

Beta hero

Cinnamon roll hero

What are they talking about?

Saphic romance/ W/W romance – woman-woman

M/M romance- male-male

Steampunk – Story takes place within a specific period of time (early 1900s)

Harlequin – publisher

The YT videos reference below, contain recommendations! Still learning so unsure about recommending stuff…

Videos used for reference:

These videos were great at introducing you to historical romance (HR).

Breaking Down The Time Periods In Historical Romance by @bookswithsamantha – https://youtu.be/qLOnbFJwQwU

Historical Romance Terminology 101 @bookswithsamantha – https://youtu.be/VqvgrCVKQ68

Historical Romance 101: Genre Breakdown and Recommendations by @thebookrefuge https://youtu.be/OQ-SAjBsa3Q

Book Blogging Plans

A system… I don’t know if anyone noticed but I function better in systems… Lists, charts, tables are my jam! I’m new to blogging, especially book blogging… So I thought it’d be better for me to create a system and outline rules for myself…

First 5 chapter check-in – Usually the groundwork is laid
OMG moments – Update after the chapter following the event
Book completion – Needs an explanation? 😋

So you can expect me to blog at these times. I reserve the right to enjoy my book as I wish though. More like guidelines than rules… I’m kind of just making this up as I go! Let me know if I should or how you’d like updates!

I feel like having a system in place might help me focus better (and read 😋)! So these posts are plentiful at first BUT there’ll will STILL be weekly life updates! Now I’m less anxious about them! 😂

Listen With Precious 🎧 Book Bundle

Realized I saw a trend in my bookish posts… With each book I can write a book blog, book review, and book event live reaction! Once I have a solid inventoty… I wouldn’t have to do a book blog for every book… Here’s how to distinguish between the three!

Book review – Written for every book 📖

Book blog – Shares my thoughts while reading the book! I enjoy writing ✍️ them! 🙌🏽 I write this with non-readers in mind 😉 Spoler-free! Enables me to keep reading 😀

Book event live – Always link a YT video! Can be for a book club, read-along, readathon, etc.

This thought just helped to calm me down 😂

Reading Goals: Diversify Authors

I mentioned this post in my April 2021 TBR. This post should come out in the beginning of April. Racial equity is something I grew more cognizant of at UC Berkeley. So it’s an important conversation to have, especially in the current American climate! I may not be able to storm the streets, but we can have these conversations.

Something I really wanted to do in my reading was feature and read authors who are people of color (POC). To help me do this I’d blog these titles. As I read a book from a POC, I’d list the book title here, along with my experience (along with my book reviews)! I just feel it’d be a cool way to chronicle what I pick up! 🤞🏽 hopefully IF you read, you might consider these titles!

Note: Will be updating as I go, please check back!

Right now have so much to read, I can only manage 1 title/month. WILL read more, you should too!

I also wanted to use this post to highlight videos I’ve seen about reading POC authors!

Took part in the Black Author Readathon and Lunar New Year Readathon. Too late to blog it, but still will be doing book reviews for what I’ve read!

Black Author Readathon Reads:

Sweet Talkin’ Lovers by Tracey Livesa

Girls Trip Series

Like Lovers Do by Tracey Livesay

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid

Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid

Note: Did not DnF cause it’s a bad book, just not in the right mind space right now! Will circle back!

Becoming by Michelle Obama (did not finish[DNF])

Lunar New Year Reads:

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

Beguiling The Beauty by Sherry Thomas

His At Night by Sherry Thomas

A Hope Divided by Alyssa Cole

Rebel by Beverly Jenkins

Reading Goals: Read The Go-Tos

A go-to us a title that’s been mentioned time and again, like the Wallflower series and Uptown girl series. Trust, they’re on my to be read list (TBR)! Similar to the blog for my other goal, will still be doing a book review!

Note: Will be updating as I go, please check back!

All the booktube recs for beginners to historical romance (Hk) is Tessa Dare’s Girl Meets Duke series! So I’m reading it!

Girl Meets Duke

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

The Bride Betby Tessa Dare (unreleased)

Also recommend for new HR readers, Tessa Dare’s Castille Ever After series! Also plan to read to! 😂

Castle Ever After

Romancing The Duke by Tessa Dare

When The Scot Ties The Knot by Tessa Dare

Say Yes To The Marques by Tessa Dare