Hi historical fiction fans!
I’m writing today’s newsletter with a hot chai latte in hand and way too many things on my to-do list. Who can relate? I always associate fall with coziness, but there’s so much to do this time of year. So many big holidays are just around the corner, and life is in full swing. But we just have to get on with it, don’t we?
That said, I’m talking historical romance novels this week because I feel like we could all use a nice dose of coziness to combat the cold and busyness of the season.
We’re here to enrich your reading life! Get to know the world of books and publishing better with a subscription to The Deep Dive, Book Riot’s staff-written publication delivered directly to your inbox. Find a guide to reading logs and trackers, hear about why the bestseller list is broken, analyze some anticipated books, and more from our familiar in-house experts. Get a free subscription for weekly content delivered to your inbox, or upgrade to paid-for bonus content and community features connecting you to like-minded readers.
Bookish Goods
Book Outline Necklace from Witting Craft
A stylish accessory that also shows off your love of reading? I think we’ve found it! $33
New Releases
The Glutton by A.K. Blakemore (October 31, 2023)
During the French Revolution, a boy with a voracious appetite begins down a path that will bring him fame and infamy, alongside the name “The Glutton of Lyon.” Tarare wasn’t always like that, but by the time he lay dying in a Versailles hospital under the watchful eyes of a young nun, he must be monitored at all times to control his great and terrible appetite.
The Liberators by E.J. Koh (November 7, 2023)
Across four generations of two Korean families, the voices of perpetrators and liberators, victims and victors tell the story of turbulent times. From the height of the South Korean military dictatorship to the Sewol ferry accident, Koh explores what it means to love and live in a time of war.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendation
The temperature is dropping, the blankets and hot drinks are coming out, and that means all I want are some good, cozy reads. These historical romance novels should do the trick.
The Marquis Who Mustn’t by Courtney Milan
A fake engagement based on a real engagement between two people with secret agendas of their own in late 19th century England? Yes, please! When a young woman with dreams of taking an “ambulance class” for first responders is told the man in charge of her must sign off on the class, she claims the handsome Chinese nobleman she just met is her fiancé. Kai has reasons of his own to agree to this arrangement, not least of which is the fact that he and Naomi really were betrothed as children.
A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles
A new earl fending off claims to his positions from all sides finds a surprising ally in one of his enemies, a smuggler who also happens to have the secretarial skills and scheming brain he needs to succeed. Despite their growing feelings and romantic entanglement, can a relationship really work between two men whose motives—and allegiances—are at odds?
That’s it for now, folks! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.
If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Goodreads, Instagram, and Litsy, my favorite bookish social media.
Right now, I’m reading The Dancing Plague by John Waller. What about you?