Veering Towards Bodice-Ripping: Women in Historical Fiction
Explore the allure of bodice-ripping historical fiction with our curated list of passionate tales featuring strong women. Dive into romance, drama, and adventure in these captivating reads.
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Wideacre
by Philippa Gregory
Set in 18th century England, "Wideacre" introduces Beatrice Lacey, a heroine who makes Scarlett O'Hara look like a simpering weakling. Readers will fall in love …
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The Tea Rose
by Jennifer Donnelly
Towering story of murder and revenge, of love lost and won again, and of one determined woman's quest to survive and triumph ...
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Slammerkin
by Emma Donoghue
Mary Saunders' lust for linen, lace and a shiny red ribbon leads her to a life of prostitution.
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Life Mask
by Emma Donoghue
In eighteenth-century England, the eccentric widow Mrs. Damer works as the period's only woman sculptor, the horse race innovator Lord Derby endures public mockery, and …
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A Great and Terrible Beauty
by Libba Bray
The first book in the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling Gemma Doyle trilogy, the exhilarating and haunting saga from the author of The Diviners …
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The Oracle Glass
by Judith Merkle Riley
"Open the pages, and out comes a whiff of brimstone, as The Oracle Glass transports you to the Paris of kings and witches, on a …
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The Serpent Garden
by Judith Merkle Riley
From the author of "The Oracle Glass" comes an enthralling historical mystery novel of suspense, romance, and a tinge of the occult set in the …
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Mary Queen of Scotland & The Isles
by Margaret George
A fictional account of the life of Mary Queen of Scots traces her lineage and describes her historic fight with Elizabeth over the throne of …
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The Queen's Fool
by Philippa Gregory
#1 New York Times bestselling author and “queen of royal fiction” (USA TODAY) Philippa Gregory weaves a spellbinding tale of a young woman with the …
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The Virgin's Lover
by Philippa Gregory
A fictional portrait of the early years of the reign of Elizabeth I follows the young queen as she copes with intrigues aimed at placing …
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The Tiger in the Well
by Philip Pullman
Sally's world is wonderful until one man brings it crashing down around her. He is trying to get everything, even her sanity.
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Tipping the Velvet
by Sarah Waters
“Erotic and absorbing…Written with startling power.”—The New York Times Book Review Nan King, an oyster girl, is captivated by the music hall phenomenon Kitty Butler, …
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Fingersmith
by Sarah Waters
“Oliver Twist with a twist…Waters spins an absorbing tale that withholds as much as it discloses. A pulsating story.”—The New York Times Book Review The …
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Through a Glass Darkly
by Karleen Koen
"A completely involving story...power, greed, family conflict, burning ambition and passion kindle the plot. Readers will be captivated "-- Publishers Weekly Karleen Koen's sweeping saga …
