Next week, I am doing a 5 minute lightning talk on selecting Historical Romances for your library at the History in the Dixon readers advisory seminar. I thought, rather than tell librarians the authors that I deemed necessary to be added to a standing order list (because that would be subjective and we can’t have that), I thought I would crowdsource some reader preferences.
So, send me your Top 5 Historical Romance authors for libraries. Either post your preferences in the comments below or send them to shallowreader@gmail.com and I will post them to this blog. I will also collate them for the presentation and create a Top 10 out of everyone’s Top 5.
Thank you.
Shallowreader 
My sister has recently loaned me a stack of Amanda Quick and Stephanie Laurens books which I quite enjoyed for some lighter reading entertainment. I haven’t read any historical romances in quite some time and had forgotten how much I enjoy them.
Laura Kinsale and Jo Goodman.
I originally listd Kinsale, too, except she doesn’t release books very often, and if I were a library patron I’d prefer standing orders to go to more prolific authors (i.e. more books for me to borrow).
(This is me justifying why I left out my bestest ever favourite historical romance author.)
Only 5!!! My top 5 for libraries* are: Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Stephanie Laurens, Anne Gracie, Jo Goodman.
(* For libraries = What I think will appeal/cater to the largest number of potential readers.)
I’m going to submit before I change my mind…
My picks are mostly Aussies (of course) Anna Campbell, Anne Gracie, Stephanie Laurens, Isolde Martyn (if you can get her back copies!) and the wonderful Rita-awarding winning Diane Gaston (US, but Aussie in spirit) – a prolific Harlequin author of the Regency period whose work is outstanding.
I have to to put 7 up and would do more but am trying to respect the limit (BUT IT IS SOOOOOO HARD…5 p’shaw):
Rose Lerner – In for a Penny; Georgette Heyer – These Old Shades; Loretta Chase – Lord of Scoundrels; Laura Kinsale – Flowers from the Storm; Julie Anne Long – To Love a Thief; Caroline Linden – I Love the Duke; Jennifer Ashley – The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie.
In fact most of the books by all of these authors are a win win!!
But I need to add another 3 to keep an eye on because although already very interesting, they are only going to get better and better: Margaret Rowe; Joanne Chambers; Grace Callaway.
Joanne Chambers is on my must-try list!
She has a gentle and beautifully lyrical way of writing. She is well worth a read.
I’ve heard so much good stuff about Rose Lerner recently – am gonna have to try her
I knew her when she used to enter short blog comps at It’s Not Chickporn and her writing always struck me as quite lovely. I can’t wait! I love lyrically written historical romance.
Yeah – her blog always impressed me.
I’d say Aussie authors Anna Jacobs (Swan River Colony series) and Elisabeth Storrs (The Wedding Shroud). Oh and Diana Gabaldon
Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Julie Anne Long, Meredith Duran and Sherry Thomas
okay, that came out pretty easily, so I’m gonna follow Kat’s lead and post without changing my mind!
Thank you to all of you. I will be compiling a list and writing my presentation and I will acknowledge you all!
If its not too late – I would like to suggest 5 authors whose books are not currently in my library’s collection, or who are under-represented – Laura Kinsale, Courtney Milan, Julie Anne Long, Judith Ivory, Rose Lerner
Hi Jennifer! It’s not too late. I’m writing my presentation tomorrow 🙂
Thanks to all for your suggestions. The talk went well. Here is a link from my blog: https://shallowreader.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/my-historical-romance-crowdsourcing-talk/