782 and counting … and the problem with historicals

• Posted in Books I've Read, On Writing

For those of you keeping count, I read my 782nd book this weekend — Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas. It’s the first book in her popular “Wallflower” series.

I enjoyed it. One of the best things about historicals is the witty banter between the hero/heroine, which Kleypas excelled at in this book. I also loved the friendship between the four “wallflowers.” I think we’ve all been a wallflower at some point in our lives. I wish I’d had friends like Lillian, Daisy, and Evie to hlpe me through the tough times.

But I had one quibble with the book, and it’s more a quibble with historical romances in general — why does the heroine almost always have to be a virgin? I realize that times were different back then, but c’mon. People had sex then, too. Men and women. Otherwise the human race would have died out a long time ago.

I can think of only two historicals I’ve read in recent years where the heroine hasn’t been a virgin — one of the Bridgerton novels by Julia Quinn and a book by Karen Hawkins. The names escape me at the moment.

Sometimes, when I read a historical, I just want the heroine to have her way with the hero, instead of it always being the other way around. I want her to be the one doing the teasing and chasing and seducing. If anyone knows of any historicals that break the mold a bit, please let me know. I’m always on the lookout for a good, different read.

What about you? Have you read the “Wallflowers” series? Do you like your historical heroines to be virginial? Inquiring minds want to know …

2 Responses to “782 and counting … and the problem with historicals”

  1. Meljean says:

    I don’t mind if they’re virginal — especially if there’s reason for it (a sheltered background, no opportunity to escape the chaperones, that kind of thing) … but, yeah, I have a hard time believing that more heroines didn’t give in to their hormones at some time or another. I mean, no matter the class or time period, people get horny. It happens.

    What bothers me is when the virginity somehow extends to her personality — like when the hero thinks all kinds of terrible things about her, but then pops the cherry and “oh my god, she’s not a whore after all!” (oh, and then usually blames her for not telling him).

    I have read the Wallflowers series — I liked it, for the most part.

  2. Jennifer Estep says:

    I just got the second Wallflowers book from the library, so I’ll be reading that soon.

    Of course, the flipside to the historical issue is paranormals, which have a reputation for being sexy, sexy, sexy.

    I’d like to see some more sweet paranormals, where the hero/heroine just kiss or consumate their relationship behind closed doors.

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