Ever since Lord Byron, we romance-lovers have been obsessed with the “damaged” hero. The man who is so tortured by the past that he lets it impact the present.
It is perfect for a romance novel because usually that means he won’t let himself fall in love. Especially not when he meets the perfect woman. Hello yummy internal conflict.
With that in mind, here are five historical romance novels set in England featuring damaged heroes:
The Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.02
The Hook:
Jack Turner solves mysteries. Specifically, he solves mysteries for women who may not have any other recourse. When Oliver Rivington walks into his office to find out why Jack billed Oliver’s sister, Jack plans to throw him out. Instead, Oliver ends up helping Jack with his latest case.
What I Loved About It:
My favorite part of this book was the chemistry between Oliver and Jack. Second to that, it was an interesting take on how men can get stuck within the system of patriarchy (plus, I love a good mystery).
Surrender to the Devil by Lorraine Heath
Average Goodreads rating: 4.0
The Hook:
Frannie Darling is happy working as bookkeeper in London’s most profitable gaming den. But Sterling Mabry spots her at his sister’s wedding and wants her. And Frannie can’t help but notice she wants him, too. She has to decide whether she is willing to descend into the sin he offers, and he has to decide what he is willing to do to convince her to join him.
What I Loved About It:
Frannie is a really great heroine who acknowledges societal strictures but never lets them dictate her life. Meanwhile, Sterling has some interesting issues he has to work through that are not stereotypical to our damaged heroes.
The Soldier by Grace Burrowes
Average Goodreads rating: 3.86
The Hook:
Devlin St. Just has been awarded a new estate as a war hero. He arrives grumpy but ready to do some hard work, only to discover an urchin running about the place - and a beautiful single woman trying to get the child back to her farmhouse. He quickly offers them both a place in his home, but it is not so easy to win over beautiful Emmie.
What I Loved About It:
Devlin struggles with PTSD (although they didn’t have a term for it back then) and it wasn’t just for the plot. His major character arc was acknowledging it and not allowing it to define him. It made him a very interesting, brooding hero who is trying his best.
Unraveled by Courtney Milan
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.05
The Hook:
Smite Turner Does The Right Thing to make up for his own childhood, which was filled with adults doing the wrong thing. So when he is confronted with a woman who fakes testimony in his courtroom, he plans to reprimand her. Except he falls in love with her instead.
What I Loved About It:
Smite and Miranda were both strong, complex characters who each have their own journeys to complete. Smite’s turbulent past isn’t one often explored in the damaged hero arc, yet it is convincingly explored (here and in the other Turner books). Meanwhile, Miranda has to make some really interesting choices that pull her closer to Smite.
The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.81
The Hook:
Joshua Wolf is trying to recover from war wounds in the peace of English countryside. However, his employer’s sister, Lady Gwyn Drake, is being threatened, and so he must play her bodyguard in London. He’ll do his best to keep her safe, but it gets harder as she starts flirting with him (and he discovers he likes it).
What I Liked About It:
Besides the amazing cover, Gwyn is a great feisty heroine who desperately wants to solve problems on her own, while Joshua is a delightful grump.