Historical romance

Historical romance is a broad category of mass-market fiction that centers on romantic relationships set in historical periods, a trend that Byron helped popularize in the early 19th century. The genre is most commonly presented as a novel and includes many subgenres, each tied to a specific era or setting. Viking romances feature warriors from the Dark Ages or Middle Ages. The heroes are stereotypically masculine men who are eventually "tamed" by the heroines, and most are described as "tall, blonde, and strikingly handsome." Because Vikings were adventurers who founded and conquered colonies worldwide, these novels often include travel.

In a 1997 poll of over 200 readers, Johanna Lindsey's Fires of Winter was voted the best of the subgenre. Since the mid-1990s, however, few Viking romances have been published, and the subgenre has fallen out of style. Medieval romances are typically set between 938 and 1485. Women in this period were often considered property, forced to live at the mercy of their father, guardian, or king.

Medieval

The heroine is always a lady who must use her wits and will to find a husband who accepts her need for independence while still protecting her from the era's dangers. The hero is almost always a knight who first learns to respect her uncommon ideas and then falls in love. Heroes are strong and dominant, and the heroine, despite her gains, usually remains in a subordinate position—but one she chooses, "for the sake of and with protection from an adoring lover, whose main purpose in life is to fulfill his beloved's wishes." Tudor romances are set in England between 1485 and 1558. Elizabethan romances take place in England from 1558 to 1603, during the reign of Elizabeth I. Stuart romances are set in England between 1603 and 1714.

Victorian

Georgian romances are set in England from 1714 to 1811. Regency romances are set in England during the Regency era, from 1811 to 1820. Victorian romances are set in England between 1832 and 1901, beginning with the Reform Act 1832 and spanning Queen Victoria's reign. Novels set in this period but in a fictional country may be Ruritanian novels, such as those by Beatrice Heron-Maxwell.

Pirate

M.M. Kaye focuses on the British Raj rather than England itself. Pirate novels feature a male or female character who is sailing—or believed to be sailing—as a pirate or privateer on the high seas. According to Ryan Kate, heroes are the "ultimate bad boys" who "dominate all for the sake of wealth and freedom." The heroine is usually captured by the hero early in the novel and forced to succumb to his wishes, eventually falling in love with her captor. When the heroine is the pirate, the story often focuses on her struggle to maintain freedom of choice while living a man's life.

Civil War

Regardless of the pirate's sex, much of the action takes place at sea. Colonial United States novels are set in that country between 1630 and 1798. Civil War novels place their characters within the events of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, and may be set in the Confederacy or the Union.

Western novels are set on the frontier of the United States, Canada, or Australia. Unlike traditional Westerns, where women are often marginalized, the Western romance focuses on the female experience. Heroes seek adventure and must conquer the unknown; they are often loners, slightly uncivilized, and "earthy." Their heroines are often forced to travel to the frontier by events beyond their control. These women learn to survive in a man's world and, by the novel's end, conquer their fears through love.

In many cases, the couple faces personal danger and, after surmounting their troubles, forge a strong relationship for the future. Native American novels could also fall into the Western subgenre, but they always feature Native American protagonists, historically described as "Red Indians," whose "heritage is integral to the story." These romances "[emphasize] instinct, creativity, freedom, and the longing to escape from the strictures of society to return to nature." Members of Native American tribes are usually depicted as "exotic figures" who "[possess] a freedom to be admired and envied." Often the Native protagonist struggles against racial prejudice and incurs hardships while trying to maintain a different way of life. By the end, the problems are surmounted. The heroes often fight to control their darker desires.

In many cases, the hero or heroine is captured and then falls in love with a tribe member. The tribe is always depicted as civilized, not savage, and misunderstood. When surveyed about their reasons for reading Native American romances, many readers cite a desire to learn about the beliefs, customs, and culture of the tribes. The novels are generally not limited to a specific tribe, location, or time period.

Readers appreciate that native tribes "have a whole different way of life, a different way of thinking and a different way of looking at things." In many cases, the tribe's love of nature is highlighted. Americana novels are set in the United States between 1880 and 1920, usually in a small town or the Midwest. One of the first popular historical romances appeared in 1921, when Georgette Heyer published The Black Moth, set in 1751. It was not until 1935 that she wrote the first of her signature Regency novels, set around the English Regency period.