Must-Read Historical Romance Set in the 20th Century

In 1958 New York City, Nick is a newspaper reporter with a secret: he’s gay. When the publisher’s son Andy starts working at the paper, Nick resents him, but not as much as he worries about his inability to look out for himself. Nick takes Andy under his wing, and they slowly fall in love over the course of a year.

Rory has to hide his supernatural ability, carefully using it to find counterfeit antiques. Arthur’s job is to protect New York — and the world — from certain magical relics. They team up to solve a mystery in this alternate 1920s world, and of course, they fall in love in the process.

This Edwardian romance series begins with a (rare) F/F story featuring Pat, who goes for a visit at her friend Jimmy’s estate and finds herself drawn to his fiancée, Fen. While they try to avoid their attraction, things are getting tense all over, with blackmail, affairs, and a murder.

In 1917 Harlem, cabaret owner Bertha is trying to influence the men around her to vote in favor of women’s suffrage. Amir is a chef who takes a job working for Bertha. The two immediately clash, but that conflict sparks desire. Meanwhile, though, the vice squad is chasing Bertha down, and Amir gets news from home that may pull him away for good.

In the 1920s, Aviatrix Evie, whose husband Gabriel died when the Lusitania sank, embarks on a flight around the world. When she sees a recent photograph of a very much alive Gabriel, she sets out to find him, traveling to the city of Jasmine in Damascus.

The Spanish Caribbean, circa 1910. Emilia, who secretly writes romance novels under a pen name, accompanies her sister to a boating party and meets Ruben, a novelist who secretly writes a gossip column and has nothing good to say about her work. When he starts trying to find out the true identity of her pen name, things get sticky.

In 1915 in the American South, Ruby has been shamed for her illegitimate son (she was raped). She nevertheless tries to help the Black mill workers in her town to improve their lives. When Adam, a lightskinned doctor who has passed as white, comes to town, she both resents and admires him.

In 1903 New York, Lucy is a telegraph operator working for the Associated Press. When she meets rival Colin, who works for Reuters, she hopes he can help her family with a contested inheritance, but worries that he could put her out of a job.

Heiress Patsy longs to be a reporter and teams up with editor Lane to investigate a mystery involving an escaped convict. Unfortunately (gleeful grin), they must pretend to be engaged.

Russell is a Union soldier who wakes up 100 years later, in 1965. Caleb is a college student who helps him to catch up on everything he’s missed — including increased scrutiny of men’s friendships and a decided lack of societal acceptance for things like holding hands and kissing, which they would very much like to be doing.

Lucien is a journalist and Aubrey a society man and writer in this Edwardian polyamorous romance. Both have existing relationships with married couples, and they also fall in love with each other.