When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman

They loved and fought and schemed on a stage that stretched from the Scots border to the Mediterranean Sea. He was one of the greatest of the medieval kings, and she was the only woman to wear the crowns of both England and France. Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine were larger than life, legends in their own lifetimes. This is admittedly far more historical fiction than it is historical romance, but it’s a beautifully written account of the Anarchy which includes the beginning of the cataclysmic relationship between Henry and Eleanor. When Christ and His Saints Slept (Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine #1) by Sharon Kay Penman Locked up in his castle, the two engage in a battle of wills, but when Meriel loses her memory Adrian has to decide just how honourable he’s feeling.

Lady Meriel de Vere is a Norman noblewoman during the Anarchy – but she tells Adrian, Earl of Shropshire, that she’s a Welsh commoner. Uncommon Vows (Bride Trilogy #0.5) by Mary Jo Putney Their romance is epic and heart-shattering: the closest comparison that springs to mind is Gone with the Wind. John married three times, but the real love of his life was his last wife, Katherine Swynford, who persisted as his mistress through his second marriage and who was at the centre of his life for decades. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, was a younger son of the 14th century King Edward III whose own son would go on to take the throne. While I enjoyed it, it won’t be for everyone and it’s worth checking out reviews for trigger warnings. This is a bodice ripper set just after the Norman Conquest. But it’s Alice’s illegitimate sister, the witchlike Ceidre, who draws his eye. For his assistance he’s just been given the hand in marriage of Lady Alice, a Saxon whose dowry includes a strategic castle. Rolfe de Warenne, a Norman nobleman, is a close ally to William the Conqueror.

The Conqueror (de Warenne Dynasty #1) by Brenda Joyce Though there’s a significant dearth of queer romances in the period, I’m pleased to announce that a fair few authors are writing about medieval non-European countries! #1. This article, however, is on modern-day romances set in the Middle Ages. (My own favourite happens to be Sir Gawain and the Green Knight). The era gave rise to a lot of gorgeously written romances which inspired much of the literature of the last 500 years. Though as with most time periods, the boundaries are a little murky, the medieval period lasted from approximately the 5th century to the 15th.

When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman