Balancing History with Romance

It’s always a challenge whether to lean into the romance more than the history when writing romances set in the past. For me at least, I often attempt to lean towards both. The challenge then becomes one of balance - because I do not always do this well (depsite being a Libran).

A recent review of my newest release suggested my holiday romance might appeal to readers who prefer more historical context - and less romance. This got me thinking (which is equally dangerous and rewarding - and one of the reasons why I'm so grateful for reviewers.) I learn so much from reviewers and I'm always a better writer as a result. If you’ve ever taken the trouble to pen a review of any of my works, know that I read them all - and that I appreciate your thoughtful insights every time (yes, even the 1-stars).

There was a time when I thought I’d write historical fiction rather than historical romance fiction, and this dream is still lively enough, but right now I’m having so much fun writing about love, having my characters fall in love, make love, earn love, lose love, learn love…that I’m not sure I’ll ever stop writing romances. Most other genres include touches of romance in any case, because people clearly love reading about love.

There’s a reason the love story between Aragorn and Arwen was played up in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, though it’s a mere appendix in the series (I say ‘mere’ but anyone who’s read the nine books understands the breadth of Tolkien’s storytelling, and it’s not particularly romantic at all). Fascinating as is historical context (at least to me), people love climbing around inside other lovers' hearts and minds more than just about any other kind of reading.

Back to my point though, getting the balance between historical detail (i.e. world building), and romance, right is a constant, evolving process. The differences between historical fiction, and historical romance, are specific.

Historical fiction:

Historical fiction, as the name suggests, primarily centres around historical events, periods, or settings. Mary Renault is one of my favourites here. As most history fans know, the emphasis in historical fiction lies in capturing the essence of a particular era and delving into social, political, and cultural aspects to provide a rich and immersive experience. It’s an area of special interest for me (as some of you may have guessed). Sometimes I worry whether I overdo the history in my stories. Ah. the perils of being an ND author...

Historical romance fiction:

Historical romance fiction includes a greater emphasis on the love stories than the period in which they’re set. I admit to being anal regarding historical accuracy and I am determined to balance both a compelling, passionate romantic narrative, alongside historical word building. My Regency historical setting is sometimes more than a backdrop for enhancing the emotional journey of my characters. Often it’s an indisputable plot point. This is certainly the case for my Romany romances. For me, the goal is to deliver my blend of romance and history, and hope it entertains. I’ve said this many times, but writing a novel is a lot like baking a Christmas pudding: the right ingredients, in the tastiest measures to create the most compelling blend of flavours. I hope, at the very least, my obsession with history remains as entertaining for me as it is for you. My goal is reader immersion, offering readers a chance to escape into passionate and emotionally charged narratives, set against a backdrop of the past. I may not always get this right so this is a thank you, and a resolution: I will blend more and better for you all in 2024.