Who among us ladies hasn’t dreamed of a knight in shining armor? A valiant hero living in a time when honor prevailed and a woman of character who loved him. (I did say we were dreaming, right?) The historical novels on my Best Medieval Romances list will take you there. See it HERE.

I have read many Georgian and Regency romances over the years, so it was inevitable that I should have a “best list” for the ones I've rated 4 and 5 stars. 
The Georgian era covers the period from 1714 to 1830, with the sub-period of the Regency, 1811-1820, when George, Prince of Wales (“the Prince Regent”) reigned during the mental illness of his father George III. All these stories are set in that era. See the list HERE.

You want an adventure, an around the world trip, or perhaps an ocean voyage—without leaving your living room. And you want a good love story. But you’re tired of those set mostly in England, Scotland, Ireland and America. Well, I have just the list for you! The best ones set in Exotic Locales.

This is a "best list" of stories with a noble hero and a worthy heroine set in times when America’s future was on the line. All are good ones!

August 23, 1305 is the day the Scottish hero Sir William Wallace died at the hands of England's king, a martyr for Scotland's freedom. If you've read my novel Bound by Honor, you know how much Wallace influenced Robert the Bruce, who became King of the Scots, and his supporters, including his friend, Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles.

What do we know of this Scottish hero?

Wallace had an advanced education. He began reading at a very young age. He spoke at least four languages fluently, and possibly more, having Gaelic as his native tongue and learning Latin, French, German and possibly English from his religious education. He was an accomplished political mind, able to strategize tactically, and served overseas in France and throughout Europe as a diplomat for Scotland. He possessed strong leadership capabilities, motivating the Scottish people to place their trust in him. Raising up an army of rugged countrymen to fight against the English, his organizational and training capacities must have been astounding, especially considering the fact that he led an army that was much smaller than the English.

Wallace was a man of faith. He grew up in a prominent Christian family, and he learned early to develop strong convictions toward prayer and the importance of seeking God’s will. Prior to submitting to the call to the battle, Wallace desired sincerely to become a Benedictine monk. Having been educated by his uncles who were Augustinian priests, Wallace likely held a great deal of biblical knowledge. As a boy he was given a Psalter – and when tried for treason, he asked that that very Psalter be held in front of his face until he died.

Wallace was a man motivated by freedom. Sir James Fergusson quoted Wallace to have said, “My son, freedom is best, I tell thee truth, of all things to be won. Then never live within the bond of slavery.” Wallace desired people to treasure and protect liberty with their own lives, seeing it as the only certainty for the continuance of the church, the family and the nation. His heroic martyrdom for freedom’s sake demonstrates the intensity of his passion for freedom.

Every now and then I love a good Viking story. Not fantasy, not paranormal, just straight up historical love stories from the time of the raiding Northmen. The Viking Age was that part of the medieval period from the end of the 8th century to the middle of the 11th century, although there are Norse pirates still around beyond that. It was an age of valiant and sometimes ruthless warriors and raiders.
 
There’s nothing like a Viking raid and a strapping tall warrior to get your blood boiling, right? Well, of course, it must be well done and we want a strong heroine to give the guy some grief. And a little history thrown in doesn’t hurt either. If you like ‘em, see the list of those I’ve rated 4 and 5 stars!

Their roots were in ancient Ireland with its high kings, in the Isles where the Norse settled and in ancient Dalriada, the Kingdom of the Gaels. They were the great sea lords, plying the waters in their longships and galleys, ruling the western Highlands and the Hebrides for four hundred years.

In this 4th book, I tell you the story of Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles and heir to the earldom of Ross set in the early 15th century. Alexander welcomed King James back to Scotland after his long captivity in England. But beneath the king’s words of approval lay treachery. Alexander’s father had won the Battle of Harlaw, securing for his son the title Earl of Ross, but Alexander must convince a treacherous king to allow him to keep it.

The nobles defeated at Harlaw, intimidated by Alexander’s greatness, urged the king to rein in the powerful Lord of the Isles. And so the king, who once considered Alexander an ally, now considered him an enemy and imprisoned him at Tantallon Castle. But Alexander was the one man the Highlanders and Islesmen trusted above all others, and they would rise in rebellion for the wrong done their lord.
 
In a life marked by much trouble, Alexander would win the hearts of many. Among them would be three women. Each claimed the heart of the handsome Lord of the Isles, but only one truly possessed it.

Born to Trouble is coming in 2024. Follow me on Amazon and you'll get notice of its release.
 

Daniel O’Connell, who in the early 19th century was one of the leading barristers in Ireland, led the campaign for Catholic Emancipation, which had consumed England for many decades, beginning in the 18th century. He was a brilliant voice, speaking for the Irish in a way that England could not ignore. His actions would gain him the title “The Liberator of Ireland”.
 
Though a Deist in his youth, after the infamous duel in 1815, where he killed John D'Esterre, a leading member of the Protestant Ascendancy who had challenged him, O’Connell returned to his faith. In 1816, he became a devout Catholic, to the great joy of his wife.
 
In 1817, he stated,
 
“My political creed is short and simple. It consists in believing that all men are entitled as of right and justice to religious and civil liberty…I have taken care to require it only on that principle which would emancipate the Catholics in Ireland, would protect the Protestants in France and Italy, and destroy the Inquisition, together with inquisitors, in Spain. Religion is debased and degraded by human interference; and surely the worship of the Deity cannot but be contaminated by the admixture of worldly ambition or human force.”
 
Until the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, Catholics could not, among other things, hold public office nor serve in Parliament. Ironically, the Prince Regent opposed Catholic Emancipation even though he married (illegally) Maria Fitzherbert, a twice-widowed Roman Catholic, who was arguably the love of his life. He did not, however, veto the new law in 1829, pressed by the Whigs and opposed by the Tories, which emancipated the Catholics.
 
In 1828, when Daniel O’Connell stood for election in County Clare and won, he could not take a seat in the House of Commons—not until 1829 with the new law.
 
Daniel O’Connell was a tall, handsome man with a head of dark curls and shinning blue eyes. My hero in The Shamrock & The Rose, Morgan O’Connell, is Daniel’s fictional Protestant cousin with the same dark good looks. Daniel O’Connell did have a Protestant cousin and Protestant friends, so it’s quite possible. In his younger days before he married, when he was training in England, Daniel was quite the rake. My fictional Morgan O’Connell was one as well until he met Rose Collingwood.
 
Put yourself in the mood and grab a copy of my novella, The Shamrock & The Rose, FREE on Amazon on St. Patrick’s Day.
 
 
"A great short story of suspense and romance; I loved it..." ~ Sinfully Tasty Reads

I first developed this list for a friend of Irish descent who loves Irish historical romances. I have come to love these stories that feature Ireland and/or Irish heroes and heroines. The books on this list cover all time periods. Some transcend typical historical romance as they bring to life heartrending tales of the Irish fight for freedom and/or the wonderful Irish people who survived much hardship to help make great their adoptive countries.
 
If you’re looking for stories of the Emerald Isle or handsome Irish hunks, or worthy Irish heroines, you will find them HERE.

Who doesn’t love a good pirate or privateer story? All that capturing, swashbuckling and romancing on the high seas—oh yes! Gets my blood boiling just thinking about it. Some of these do not have pirates as such, but may have a swashbuckling sea captain or a privateer. See the list.