Happy New Year everyone - and welcome to the roaring twenties! With such an obviously historically-minded decade, we know it's going to be a fabulous time for historical romance. And we're ringing in this year by sharing some of the 2020 historical romances we are most excited about! So many books are already announced and we just could not keep our 2020 must-haves to ourselves any longer. Will your favorites make the list? Will we introduce you to some you didn't know were coming? Did we egregiously leave something out?! Get ready to mark those calendars and click preorder, because the list is long and full of HEAs we think you're gonna love.
If you'd like to preorder any of the books you heard about, scroll below to find the links!
Just as a reminder, all dates are subject to change and obviously we have absolutely no control over any of that.
Our bonus "Out Now" Book:
The Duke Redemption by Grace Callaway
Game of Dukes #4
December 26th, 2019
A gentleman in search of redemption finds a lady looking for sin. Will honor or temptation prevail? Find out in this new and steamy take on Beauty and the Beast!
The Beast
Once London’s reigning debutante, Lady Beatrice Wodehouse is poised for a life of happiness when an accident shatters her dreams. Renamed Lady Beastly by vicious gossips, she flees loss and betrayal, escaping to the countryside. There, she finds solace in anonymity and discovers new purpose, turning her estate into a haven for society’s outcasts. Yet a shard of her old dream remains: she yearns for a taste of forbidden passion…
The Beauty
Once London’s most feckless rake, Wickham Murray has fought to redeem his honor and prove that he is more than a shallow Adonis. Now a railway industrialist, he’s as renowned for his prowess in the boardroom as in the bedchamber. His latest venture will be the greatest success of his career: the only obstacle is a stubborn country spinster who refuses to sell him her land. On his way to negotiate with her, he stops at a masquerade, where an encounter with a masked lady changes everything he thought he knew about desire…
Their Timeless Tale
Negotiations go from heated to scorching as Bea and Wick discover that they are not only opponents in business but lovers bonded by a night of ecstasy that neither can forget. As they wrestle with all-consuming passion and blossoming love, they must also contend with deadly attacks from a mysterious foe. In order to survive, they will have to unravel dark secrets…and trust the truth of their own hearts.
The Forgotten Duke by Sophie Barnes
Diamonds in the Rough #5
Jan 28, 2020
He never imagined he'd be the man he was born to be, or that one woman's faith in him would change his life forever…
When Carlton Guthrie, the Scoundrel of St. Giles, encounters a runaway bride, he offers to help her. Not out of kindness, but because she's the Earl of Hedgewick's daughter. Using Regina to exact his revenge on her father seems like the perfect plan. Until Carlton starts to fall for the innocent beauty.
Seeking refuge with a notorious crime lord, was never part of Regina's plan. But in her blind attempt to escape the fate her parents have planned for her, options are limited. What she doesn't expect, is to pull aside Carlton's facade, and to find a tormented man who makes her feel safe and cherished – a man she can easily love, if he'll let her.
Never Kiss A Duke by Megan Frampton
A Hazard of Dukes #1
Jan 28, 2020
A disinherited duke and a former lady are courting much more than business in the first novel in Megan Frampton’s newest titillating series, Hazards of Dukes.
Everything he had ever known was a lie…
Sebastian, Duke of Hasford, has a title, wealth, privilege, and plenty of rakish charm. Until he discovers the only thing that truly belongs to him is his charm. An accident of birth has turned him into plain Mr. de Silva. Now, Sebastian is flummoxed as to what to do with his life—until he stumbles into a gambling den owned by Miss Ivy, a most fascinating young lady, who hires him on the spot. Working with a boss has never seemed so enticing.
Everything tells her he’s a risk she has to take
Two years ago, Ivy gambled everything that was precious to her—and won. Now the owner of London’s most intriguing gambling house, Ivy is competent, assured, and measured. Until she meets Mr. de Silva, who stirs feelings she didn’t realize she had. Can she keep her composure around her newest employee?
They vow to keep their partnership strictly business, but just one kiss makes them realize that with each passing day—and night—it becomes clear to them both that there’s nothing as tempting as what is forbidden…
Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
Ravenels #6
February 18th, 2020
Everything has a price...
Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give.
Everything except her...
Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win.
When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride:
Never underestimate a Ravenel.
The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun...
The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan
The Worth Saga #3
February 18, 2020
WELL, I'LL BE.....for when compiling this blog, there APPEARS to be a VERY SOON date for this book! When we recorded we couldn't find one, but on Apple Books it says February 18th. I'll keep my fingers crossed and also see if we can get that verified! I am so excited for this one!
Captain Grayson Hunter knows the battle to complete the first worldwide telegraphic network will be fierce, and he intends to win it by any means necessary. When he hears about a reclusive genius who has figured out how to slash the cost of telegraphic transmissions, he vows to do whatever it takes to get the man in his employ.
Except the reclusive genius is not a man, and she’s not looking for employment.
Amelia Smith was born in Shanghai, and taken in by English missionaries. She’s not interested in Captain Hunter’s promises or his ambitions. But the harder he tries to convince her, the more she realizes that there is something she wants from him: She wants everything. And she’ll have to crack the frozen shell he’s made of his heart to get it.
First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn
Rokesby's #4
Expected publication: March 24th 2020
She was given two choices...
Georgiana Bridgerton isn't against the idea of marriage. She'd just thought she'd have some say in the matter. But with her reputation hanging by a thread after she's abducted for her dowry, Georgie is given two options: live out her life as a spinster or marry the rogue who has ruined her life.
Enter Option #3
As the fourth son of an earl, Nicholas Rokesby is prepared to chart his own course. He has a life in Edinburgh, where he's close to completing his medical studies, and he has no time—or interest—to find a wife. But when he discovers that Georgie Bridgerton—his literal girl-next-door—is facing ruin, he knows what he must do.
A Marriage of Convenience
It might not have been the most romantic of proposals, but Nicholas never thought she'd say no. Georgie doesn't want to be anyone's sacrifice, and besides, they could never think of each other as anything more than childhood friends... or could they?
But as they embark upon their unorthodox courtship, they discover a new twist to the age-old rhyme. First comes scandal, then comes marriage. But after that comes love...
The Earl Takes a Fancy by Lorraine Heath
Sins for All Seasons #5
March 31st, 2020
Are you kidding me with that Belle dress....*SWOON!*
She’s looking for a nobleman to wed…
Though born out of wedlock, Fancy Trewlove is determined to fulfill her mother’s wish that she marry into nobility. Fancy’s keen intellect and finishing school manners make her the perfect wife for any gentleman—if he’s willing to overlook her scandalous lineage. But Fancy’s plans are thrown into chaos when an intriguing commoner begins visiting her bookshop—and she finds herself unable to stop thinking about him.
He’s looking to escape his title…
Widowed just a year ago, the reclusive Matthew Sommersby, Earl of Rosemont, has been besieged by women hoping to become his next wife. Desperate for anonymity, he sheds Society life to search for the peace that eludes him. Fancy’s shop is his one refuge, until the night their passion erupts into a kiss that nearly leads to her ruin—and leaves both longing for much more.
Together, they discover an unlikely love…
As Fancy finds herself torn between her family’s expectations and her growing feelings for Matthew, secrets are exposed—secrets that force Fancy to question if she can trust her heart’s desire...
All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne
The Devil You Know Series #2
March or September 2020
This "cover" was made by me! I just wanted a graphic to put here!
So here's the deal - on Kerrigan's website it says March, Amazon says September. Either way, we're excited for this one!
In an interview Kerrigan said:
"I’m especially excited for the next book ALL SCOT AND BOTHERED because it’s about Alexandra’s best friend the curvy vicar’s daughter, Cecelia Teague. She inherits London’s most infamous and successful brothel, and one imposing, surly Scottish enemy along with it. She and Lord Ramsay, the Lord Chief Justice with an axe to grind against her establishment, can’t be in a room together without the sparks flying. I can’t think about this book without smiling."
Her website also lists the third book in the series, The Importance of Being an Earl (#3) as coming out in September 2020. So we shall see!
The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham
Society of Sirens #1
April 28th, 2020
Meet the SOCIETY OF SIRENS—three radical, libertine ladies determined to weaponize their scandalous reputations to fight for justice and the love they deserve…
She's a Rakess on a quest for women's rights…
Seraphina Arden's passions include equality, amorous affairs, and wild, wine-soaked nights. To raise funds for her cause, she's set to publish explosive memoirs exposing the powerful man who ruined her. Her ideals are her purpose, her friends are her family, and her paramours are forbidden to linger in the morning.
He's not looking for a summer lover…
Adam Anderson is a wholesome, handsome, widowed Scottish architect, with two young children, a business to protect, and an aversion to scandal. He could never, ever afford to fall for Seraphina. But her indecent proposal—one month, no strings, no future—proves too tempting for a man who strains to keep his passions buried with the losses of his past.
But one night changes everything...
What began as a fling soon forces them to confront painful secrets—and yearnings they thought they'd never have again. But when Seraphina discovers Adam's future depends on the man she's about to destroy, she must decide what to protect…her desire for justice, or her heart.
Say Yes To The Duke by Eloisa James
The Wildes of Lindow Castle #5
May 19, 2020
Miss Viola Astley is so painfully shy that she’s horrified by the mere idea of dancing with a stranger; her upcoming London debut feels like a nightmare.
So she’s overjoyed to meet handsome, quiet vicar with no interest in polite society — but just when she catches his attention, her reputation is compromised by a duke.
Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, will stop at nothing to marry Viola, including marrying a woman whom he believes to be in love with another man.
A vicar, no less.
Devin knows he’s no saint, but he’s used to conquest, and he’s determined to win Viola’s heart.
Viola has already said Yes to his proposal, but now he wants her unruly heart…and he won’t accept No for an answer.
The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite
Feminine Pursuits #2
June 9th, 2020
Again, this "cover" is a custom creation for this blog post :)
In this historical f/f romance you’ll find:
A grumpy widowed engraver working far too hard to keep her print-shop going until her son is old enough to take over
A middle-aged lady beekeeper who goes striding about in trousers and loves bucolic poetry
A Queen on trial in Parliament and the press
Luxuriant English gardens with extremely naughty statues
Satirical ballads about tight pants
… and more than you probably ever wanted to know about early 19th-century beekeeping!
Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian
Seducing the Sedgwicks #3
June 23rd, 2020
Another custom creation, but I bet you knew that this time, right?
Right now there's no information on this book, but we're excited about it nonetheless! By Cat and with a title that good?! That's an auto-buy. If you have any info that we've missed, please let us know at romancepod@gmail.com! Once there's a description we will be sure to update it here!
Daring and the Duke by Sarah Maclean
The Bareknuckle Bastards #3
June 30th, 2020
Grace Condry has spent a lifetime running from her past. Betrayed as a child by her only love and raised on the streets, she now hides in plain sight as queen of London’s darkest corners. Grace has a sharp mind and a powerful right hook and has never met an enemy she could not best, until the man she once loved returns.
Single-minded and ruthless, Ewan, Duke of Marwick, has spent a decade searching for the woman he never stopped loving. A long-ago gamble may have lost her forever, but Ewan will go to any lengths to win Grace back… and make her his duchess.
Reconciliation is the last thing Grace desires. Unable to forgive the past, she vows to take her revenge. But revenge requires keeping Ewan close, and soon her enemy seems to be something else altogether―something she can’t resist, even as he threatens the world she's built, the life she's claimed… and the heart she swore he'd never steal again.
When A Rogue Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt
Greycourts #2
Expected publication: August 4th, 2020
This is said to be Gabriel Hawthorne and Messalina Greycourt's book, but there are no other details than that! The Greycourt's series is Elizabeth Hoyt's newest series since Maiden Lane. There's a secret society and some spy stuff in the first one - so if that's your book candy, look no further!
The Bride Bet by Tessa Dare
Girl Meets Duke #4
August 25th, 2020
Now I'm just getting fancy.
Ten years ago, Nicola and the duke wanted nothing to do with each other…
and that’s exactly why they got engaged.
Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh
Union of the Rakes #2
August 25th, 2020
Mine again.
When an ambitious entrepreneur pretends to be a lady of means, she catches the eye—and heart—of a duke...
Jessica McGale’s family business desperately needs investors and she’s determined to succeed at any cost. But she knows London’s elite will never look twice at a humble farm girl like herself. Posing as “Lady Whitfield,” however, places her in the orbit of wealthy, powerful people—most notably the Duke of Rotherby. His influence and support could save her company, but Jess never expected the effect he’d have on her.
Society thinks Noel is a notorious, carefree duke who dabbles in investments, but there’s a side to him that only his closest friends see. When he crosses paths with Lady Whitfield at a business bazaar, his world tilts on its axis. She’s brilliant and compelling, and brings him to his knees like no woman has before. Trust is difficult for Noel, but Jess makes him believe anything is possible. . .
As time ticks down on her Cinderella scheme, the thought of achieving her goal at Noel’s expense breaks Jess’s heart. He doesn’t just want her now, he wants her forever. But will her secret end their future before it begins?
A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore
The League of Extraordinary Women #2
September 2020
A lady must have money and an army of her own if she is to win a revolution—but first, she must pit her wits against the wiles of an irresistible rogue bent on wrecking her plans…and her heart.
Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: to use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis and London’s undisputed lord of sin, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price—a night in her bed.
Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smouldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare.
As Lucie tries to out-manoeuvre Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: all is fair in love and war…
*We accidentally said "A Rogue of Her Own" on the podcast! Sorry, Evie!
Beauty Tempts The Beast by Lorraine Heath
Sins for All Seasons #6 September 29th, 2020
This one's me again.
When we recorded a date could not be found, but rejoice! For one is listed now! This is the 6th book in the Trewloves series centering on the quiet, hulking, and profound brother Beast. We gushed about it a bit more on the podcast - take a listen to hear all we thought!
Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron by Julia Quinn
Expected publication: December 31st 2020
It’s official! Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron is going to be a GRAPHIC NOVEL!
JQ is extra excited about this — especially as it’s a collaboration with her sister Violet Charles of comics renown.
Phew! That's a lot of books! 19 to be exact - and yes, now that I count them up....we really missed that low hanging fruit. Oh well, maybe in 2021 we'll do 21 Books We Just Can't Wait For, but hopefully there are at least a few titles in here that you're excited about too!
So, did we miss something that you're excited about?! Let us know, either here in the comments or by emailing us at romancepod@gmail.com. We'll definitely do some follow-ups to this post throughout the year.
Happy new year, and happy reading!
Want to hear a clip from the episode? Listen below!
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