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	vomitymcpuke 2007-10-09 04:18 am UTC (link)
	It's not Victorian, but if she likes Jane Austen, she might like Georgette Heyer. Her romance novels are mostly set in the Regency era, although some are Georgian. I'd suggest Grand Sophy to start, it's a fun one. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	squib 2007-10-09 09:34 am UTC (link)
	That was my first thought too! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	goblin 2007-10-09 01:11 pm UTC (link)
	I really liked The Grand Sophy as well, but my absolute favorite is The Masqueraders, which comes complete with cross-dressing and a bit of gender play. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	black_spot 2007-10-09 06:34 pm UTC (link)
	Frederica and Lady of Quality</a> are so re-readable. For a good cry there’s always Sylvester. I could go on, but it would end up naming 97% of her books. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	black_spot 2007-10-09 06:36 pm UTC (link)
	I suck at html. Preview should be my god. (Reply to this)(Parent)

squeakytoy
2007-10-09 05:45 pm UTC (link)

Her heroes and heroines are also all individual characters, not variations off a handful of stereotypes.

And I adore Sophy. She was absolutely great - spirited and cunning yet managing to stay within the bounds of appropriate behaviour.

For a more retiring heroine, try Arabella. The heroine in Sylvester is one that grows and changes (or, more correctly, she adjusts to her circumstances and who she's with and how she's feeling).

I re-discovered Georgette Heyer very recently and got through a whole slew of her books. Unfortunately, not all of them. But we're working on it...

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	wankaholic 2007-10-09 04:30 am UTC (link)
	The Time Traveler's Wife is a pretty decent modern romance. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	bemysty 2007-10-09 04:51 am UTC (link)
	Seconding this. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wankaholic 2007-10-09 04:57 am UTC (link)
	By "pretty decent" I meant, "I love it to bits" too. :) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	bemysty 2007-10-09 04:59 am UTC (link)
	I'm actually currently reading it - about 3/4s through. And I love what I've read so far to pieces... so I guess we're in the same boat! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wankaholic 2007-10-09 05:01 am UTC (link)
	Oh God, I won't spoil the ending for you, but be prepared to cry. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hyaenid 2007-10-09 06:14 am UTC (link)
	The ending killed me dead. I mean, killed. Just thinking about it now makes me get a little teary. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wankaholic 2007-10-09 06:56 am UTC (link)
	Yeah. The first time I read it, I was missing my SO, and the end made me bawl like a baby. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	alexia75 2007-10-09 10:44 am UTC (link)
	I was travelling with some friends when I first read it, and I cried like a baby and the immediately started reading it again. Henry <3 (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wankaholic 2007-10-09 04:31 pm UTC (link)
	Definite <3 for Henry. I named my aloe plant Henry (unrelated). You can probably guess what happened to him. ;_; (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	alexia75 2007-10-09 06:00 pm UTC (link)
	...I was so close to completely spoiling the book for the sake of a crappy joke then. Too close. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wankaholic 2007-10-09 06:04 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, yeah, that could be bad. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	chibikaijuu 2007-10-09 06:08 pm UTC (link)
	Thirding. Romance with interesting characters, good writing and a bizarre but workable premise that really adds to the relationship. The end is depressing as hell, though. Well, bittersweet. I cried. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wankaholic 2007-10-09 06:11 pm UTC (link)
	From the look of things, you're in good company. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	herongale 2007-10-09 04:49 am UTC (link)
	No list is complete without Diane Gabaldon's Outlander. What happens when a more-or-less modern woman is magically transported back in time to early Scotland? SURPRISINGLY COMPELLING ROMANCE, that's what. I don't even like the genre, but I liked this book. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	firedance 2007-10-09 08:52 pm UTC (link)
	I came on to see if anyone had suggested Outlander. I'm the same way and everyone I've ever told to read it has had the same response...not my usual cup of tea but DAMN it's good! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	onaga 2007-10-09 05:18 am UTC (link)
	I highly suggest that you/your friend submit this question to Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. Popular and snarky romance novel blog, and their commenters include both avid readers of all ages as well as authors and editors working in romance novel publishing. I bet they'd have an overwhelming amount of information and advice to offer. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mydruthers 2007-10-09 12:01 pm UTC (link)
	Definitely seconding the Smart Bitches. They do great reviews and their articles are a blast to read. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	winter 2007-10-09 05:37 am UTC (link)
	Georgette Heyer is a must, and from modern ones I'd recomment Mary Balogh (I was this close to offering the Bedwyn cycle for Yuletide, but I've read most of them in translation, alas). Regency's usually more popular than Victorian in historical romances simply because it lets the heroes have a few issues less about the nookie ;) (Reply to this)

	jat_sapphire 2007-10-09 05:58 am UTC (link)
	For modern pro romance, absolutely read Jennifer Crusie, especially Faking It and Bet Me. (Reply to this)

tari3
2007-10-09 06:09 am UTC (link)

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer is a really good romance (Twilight is the first book in the series). It does have the element of the paranormal (as it's about vampires), but it's a very human story. It's in the teen section, but hey, I'm in my mid-twenties, and I love it.

It's a dark romance, and they've got a very chaste romance, so no smut here. And, while it's not in the Victorian era, several characters originate from that time--and the author definitely has a love of the Victorian/Edwardian eras.

Oh, and Twilight is very roughly based on Pride & Prejudice.

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	vomitymcpuke 2007-10-09 06:34 am UTC (link)
	Oh, and Twilight is very roughly based on Pride & Prejudice. !!! I had it in my hand today and put it down! :( Now I must buy it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

rosehiptea
2007-10-09 08:47 am UTC (link)

I didn't know that either, and the only place I had heard of it before was fanficrants on LJ. *makes note to buy it*

For the OP: For Regencies I used to like Barbara Metzger and Mary Jo Putney, but more on the level of "fun" than "everyone should write like this." Pretty good though.

I pretty much have only read Regencies. I have had some recommendations for writers of other eras but they a) were smutty and b) pretty much left me saying "I see why people like this but I don't."

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	randomsome1 2007-10-15 07:21 pm UTC (link)
	I think the only time I might put my hand on it again would be if I was able to slap the main characters simple. Or simpler, perhaps. (Reply to this)(Parent)

(Anonymous)
2007-10-09 11:45 am UTC (link)

A lot of my favorites have already been listed, like Jennifer Crusie for contemporaries. Even her old categories are cut above most writers. Also, publishers don't really seem to do Victorians, so they're hard to find (I've only ever really seen them done by established authors who have a bit of clout with the publisher). Judith Ivory had a few Victorians/Edwardians, I believe, and she's really excellent with characters that aren't stereotyped. As for the Regency authors, I'd add Jo Beverley to the ones already mentioned above.

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	ellensmithee 2007-10-09 11:47 am UTC (link)
	Crap, that wasn't supposed to be anon. ;-) (Reply to this)(Parent)

mydruthers
2007-10-09 12:08 pm UTC (link)

Eloisa James writes Regency-era novels with realistic characters and great dialog. She teaches Shakespeare at my college, which may make me a bit biased, but I think that her experience makes for more interesting writing.

I just finished "Castle of the Wolf" by Sandra Schwab, and if your friend can find it cheap somewhere (I got my copy for 50 cents), it's a good buy. Not the greatest romance novel I've read, but it doesn't rely on the cliches that most book in the genre are crippled by, so it was a refreshing and entertaining read. Smart Bitches gave it a B+.

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	mydruthers 2007-10-10 12:23 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, and "Castle of the Wolf" is a gothic novel, so it might help your friend out with the Victorian theme. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Why? (Anonymous) 2007-10-09 12:59 pm UTC (link)
	You see, she's trying to get into romance writing, but she's never even read the genre before. Why does she wish to write for a genre she doesn't read? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: Why? cygnia 2007-10-09 02:05 pm UTC (link)
	Money? (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Why? digigirl132 2007-10-09 02:53 pm UTC (link)
	She likes to explore new genres and write new things. About a year ago she did the same thing with science fiction, but that's a genre I actually know and I was able to help her. Also, I think she was bitten by the romance bug because her boyfriend just proposed to her a few weeks ago. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	beckyh2112 2007-10-09 02:57 pm UTC (link)
	Goddess of Spring by P.C. Cast is a very good one, though it does have a decent amount of smut in it. It is, however, the book I lend out whenever someone is looking for a really good romance. Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley is one of my comfort-read books. Fair amount of suspense to it. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	alexia75 2007-10-09 06:10 pm UTC (link)
	Wow, someone else has heard of Susanna Kearsley!? Did you read Shadowy Horses? That's my favourite of hers (though I can't get hold of The Beautiful Falls or whatever it's called). (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

beckyh2112
2007-10-09 06:19 pm UTC (link)

Sad to say, "Named of the Dragon" is the only book I have of hers. I have a horrible memory for authors, so whenever I go to the bookstore to look for more, I'd better have their names written down. Otherwise, I just gravitate towards the science fiction and fantasy section. (Only reason I knew Ms. Kearsley's was because I checked it on Amazon.)

*adds "Shadowy Horses" and "The Beautiful Falls" to her Amazon wishlist*

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	black_spot 2007-10-09 06:43 pm UTC (link)
	Wilkie Collins The Woman in White is pretty melodramatic if you like a major mystery with the romance. (Reply to this)

bitca
2007-10-09 07:24 pm UTC (link)

She wants to write romance, but ... but ... has never read the genre? Bizuh??

Okay then, moving right along...

There's not a lot of Victorian romance out there, sorry to say. You'll find a lot of Regency, Medieval, and the occasional Georgian. Victorian is the age of Gothics, not so much with the romances.

If she is willing to go to a UBS, then look up any and everything by Carla Kelly. She writes "traditional" Regencies, very little, if any, sex in them.

I'd also recommend a lot of Loretta Chase's books. Not all, mind...I think she lost her focus after trying to switch genres and had some problems. She's gotten better again, however. Lord of Scoundrels is excellent, as is Captives of the Night, then I'd switch to her more recent books - Miss Wonderful, Mr. Impossible, Lord Perfect.

Jennifer Crusie if her tastes run to modern day romances, especially whacky ones. She wrote more traditional romances and then moved into "Chick Lit/Woment's Lit" as she wrote. I haven't read her collaborations, so I don't recommend them. Start with Anyone But You. If she likes that, then she'll probably like the rest. Just make sure she never reads Sizzle. Even Jenny Crusie wants to pull that book from the shelves.

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	cat_mcdougall 2007-10-09 09:39 pm UTC (link)
	She wants to write romance, but ... but ... has never read the genre? Bizuh?? That was sorta my thought. Erm... not that I ahve about 200 romancee novels I'm looking to get rid of nooooooooooo. Umm... crawls back into her hole (Reply to this)(Parent)

	m_butterfly 2007-10-09 08:57 pm UTC (link)
	Nthing the Jennifer Cruise recommendation. The one I'd suggest starting with is Welcome to Temptation and then Faking It, which is not-quite-a-sequel. As for fanfic, I couldn't name any off the top of my head, but have her hunt for some Labyrinth recommendations. That fandom has a ton and a half of pretty good romance. (Reply to this)

white_serpent
2007-10-10 07:46 am UTC (link)

Um... Victorian, huh? I can come up with a few, but note I mostly read Regency historicals.

I agree with Willkie Collins' The Woman in White-- it was immensely popular during Victorian times and it remains very readable.

Then, in descending order:

Agree with the recommendations above for Loretta Chase. Laura Kinsale, if she's willing to read about People With Problems and willing to suspend disbelief for the plots. Quite a lot of people like The Shadow and the Star (and I enjoy trying to summarize the plot for people... I usually get as far as "ninja cat burglar" before I start laughing, but it's totally believable while you're reading it, I swear). I also like My Sweet Folly, but I don't think it's as well-liked.

Betina Krahn's books are variable; try The Last Bachelor. As I recall, that one is both (1) enjoyable and (2) Victorian.

Mary Jo Putney has a couple of different series of Victorian novels-- the "Silk" books and the ones that are linked to her Regencies (e.g., The Wild Child). I think her Regency historicals are better than her Victorian historicals, but I still enjoyed them.

I liked Connie Brockway's As You Desire and My Dearest Enemy.

Mary Balogh is very iffy. The heroines are frequently TSTL victims, the heroes are always "bad boys," and you can't quite escape the desire to shake them and say, "Talk, dammit!" Also, the sex is very vanilla, honestly. Not that this stops me from reading them; I'm just saying. I think A Summer to Remember, Slightly Scandalous, and Slightly Dangerous are the best of them, but they're Regency, not Victorian.

I thought Jean Ewing's Illusion and Flowers Under Ice were Victorian (but it's been a long time); they aren't bad, but she's written better books.

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	ymfaery 2007-10-11 12:11 am UTC (link)
	Mary Balogh is very iffy. Heh. That's one way to put it. XD I usually preferred her short stories to her novels, even before Signet stopped publishing Regencies. Too much space for her hero/heroine to pull some stupid stunt that kept them apart for most of the book because they didn't take five minutes to talk sensibly. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

white_serpent
2007-10-11 12:53 am UTC (link)

I try to be diplomatic!

Too much space for her hero/heroine to pull some stupid stunt that kept them apart for most of the book because they didn't take five minutes to talk sensibly.

The very definition of a Mary Balogh novel, in fact. I think the lack of communication plays better in short stories-- for example, I still really like "The Anniversary" (in From the Heart, I think?). Overall, I remember liking her category Regencies better than most of her historicals, but that may just have been that I'd read fewer of her books at that point.

When you pick one up, you know exactly what to expect. They're average, but they're consistently average, dammit!

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ymfaery
2007-10-11 06:05 pm UTC (link)

They're average, but they're consistently average, dammit!

Unless they're about, say, a prostitute. Or someone with a damaged leg/foot. Or the "evil stepmother" from a previous book. XD I'll say this much for Balogh, she does have some interesting heroes/heroines. And I did like some Signet Regencies she wrote--those were more hit and miss than her full novels, which were frequent misses.

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	ymfaery 2007-10-11 06:08 pm UTC (link)
	Were any of the "crap" books category romances? Because IIRC it's easier for new folks to start in category romances (Harlequinn, Silhouette, Mills & Bloom, etc.) than in mainstream romance (almost all major publishing houses), but they're also more restrictive in what you can submit. Way more restrictive. (Reply to this)