There is something about a damsel in distress that is rewarding to read in historical romance novels. Maybe it is because - whether the heroine gets kidnapped or in danger from a villain or even ill or giving birth - the dual point of view lets us see how she plans to get out of it as well as how the hero plans to save her. Or maybe it is because it sometimes takes big, dramatic events like a kidnapping to force a hero to admit to himself how much he cares about the heroine.
Either way, heroines often get themselves into danger in historical romance books. Sometimes, it is the hero who kidnaps the heroine. Sometimes the heroine is kickass and rescues herself. Here are 7 historical romance novels where the heroine is kidnapped, attacked, or otherwise in jeopardy from a Bad Guy:
(Note: this trope is a minor spoiler alert, because it is rare for the heroine to be in danger at the start of the novel! Read at your own caution!)
Check out these 7 historical romances where the heroine is in danger!
7 Historical Romances where the Heroine Is In Danger
Duke Most Wicked by Lenora Bell
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.78
The heroine is in danger from…someone wielding power over her.
Synopsis:
Scarred by a dark secret, Brandan Delamar, Duke of Westbury, must concede his misdeeds have finally caught up with him. With five younger sisters to support, he must marry for money.
Sunny and steadfast, Viola Beaton is no heiress. As music instructor to the duke's sisters, she's developed a genuine affection for the bright young ladies. Unfortunately, she's also developed a forbidden passion for her wildly attractive employer.
It must be the way he inspires her to compose sonatas about moonlight and kisses. Or how his gaze smolders and lingers on her skin. Or because he makes her heart whisper impossible things.
When Westbury decrees that he'll choose not only a bride, but grooms for his sisters, Viola can't allow him to curtail their freedom. She strikes a bargain: if he allows his sisters to attend the Season, Viola will chaperone them and keep them safe from scandal.
Only...what if Viola and the duke are the ones most likely to cause a scandal?
A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.05
This one is queer M/M romance, and the danger is a little bit more that they keep thinking they are in danger - but it still delivers on the vibe!
Synopsis:
Once beloved by London's fashionable elite, Hartley Sedgwick has become a recluse after a spate of salacious gossip exposed his most-private secrets. Rarely venturing from the house whose inheritance is a daily reminder of his downfall, he’s captivated by the exceedingly handsome man who seeks to rob him.
Since retiring from the boxing ring, Sam Fox has made his pub, The Bell, into a haven for those in his Free Black community. But when his best friend Kate implores him to find and destroy a scandalously revealing painting of her, he agrees. Sam would do anything to protect those he loves, even if it means stealing from a wealthy gentleman. But when he encounters Hartley, he soon finds himself wanting to steal more than just a painting from the lovely, lonely man—he wants to steal his heart.
Content Warning from Author: This book includes a main character who was sexually abused in the past; abuse happens off page but is alluded to.
Glory and the Master of Shadows by Grace Calloway
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.20
The heroine is in danger from…a career criminal.
Synopsis:
The daughter of a half-Chinese duke and a lady fossil hunter, Lady Glory Cavendish is an idealistic and spirited miss who belongs to a secret society of lady investigators. Through her covert activities, Glory meets the handsome and mysterious Wei Chen, a master of healing and fighting arts. Fascinated by the noble shifu, Glory convinces him to take her on as a pupil. As they spend time together, however, she begins to long for lessons of a more intimate nature.
Master Wei Chen has led a life of discipline focused on a single goal: avenging his murdered kin. His journey takes him to London where, by day, he treats opium users in his East End clinic and, by night, he secretly hunts the villain who destroyed his family. Yet for the first time, temptation distracts Wei: his spirited and lovely new pupil stirs dangerous needs in him. Desires that are forbidden between a shifu and his student…and between a commoner and a duke’s daughter.
As Wei and Glory’s slow-burn romance ignites into fiery passion, they are drawn into a web of betrayal and deceit. Torn between honor and desire, revenge and love, the pair must decide if they will let the past determine their future…or if they will fight the shadows for their chance at happily ever after.
Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.59
The heroine is in danger from…someone others don’t suspect.
Synopsis:
In the three years since her husband left her, Lady Kate Carhart has managed to forge a fulfilling life for herself. But when Ned Carhart unexpectedly returns, she finds her tranquility uprooted --- and her deepest secrets threatened. Though she has no intention of falling for Ned's charms, Kate can no longer deny the desire that still burns in her heart.
Ned is determined to regain his wife's trust by using unbridled seduction. But just as Kate surrenders to Ned's passion, her carefully guarded past threatens to destroy her. Now Kate must place her faith in the only man she's ever loved, and the only one who has ever betrayed her .…
Outrageous by Minerva Spencer
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.83
The heroine is danger from…the hero!
Synopsis:
When Eva de Courtney kidnaps Godric Fleming, her only plan is to stop the irritating earl from persecuting her beloved brother. But once she has the intriguing rogue in the confines of her carriage, she longs to taste the passion she senses simmering beneath his rugged exterior. Her forbidden plan is foiled, however, when Godric turns the tables, taking her hostage instead—and demanding they marry at once…
The last thing Godric wants to do is make the fiery, impulsive Eva his wife, despite her delectable mouth and alluring innocence. He knows from experience that nothing is forever, not even love. But honor demands he do right by the lady, no matter how stubbornly Eva tries to hold on to her independence. And while the road to the Scottish border is beset with danger, Godric’s greatest challenge is to keep his hands—and his heart—from his captivating bride-to-be…
My Books
I have been known to write this trope, too! Check out my two regency romances featuring a heroine in physical danger:
The Duchess Wager
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.20
The heroine is danger from…a group of people.
Synopsis:
The duke accepts a wager
Fitz, the Duke of Harrodshire, views marriage as a business arrangement, not a question of the heart. Especially once he bets his friends that he won’t marry the next woman he fancies. He knows it will be an easy win - until they take refuge from a snowstorm at Bleneccle Manor and he meets Lady Margot Wickham.
A widow in mourning
At her parents’ home in Northern England to recover from her husband’s sudden death, Lady Margot Wickham isn’t sure she’ll ever be ready to face the duties of being a Dowager Countess. When unexpected travelers show up in a snowstorm, Margot is grateful for the distraction.
Until she realizes she might be too distracted by a certain duke.
Duty calls
When Margot gets notice of unrest at her husband’s cotton mill, she realizes she can put off duty no longer. Alarmed, Fitz volunteers to accompany her south. He plans to help her resolve the issue - but the road trip is a convenient excuse to stay close, too.
The Husband Plot
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.68
The heroine is danger from…a rival of her husband.
Synopsis:
What could go wrong when you marry someone you have never met?
Lisbeth Dawes would rather not end up a spinster. After her first fiance leaves her at the altar, she agrees to marry Adrian Hathorne sight-unseen. She doesn’t expect much from her new husband, since he plans to leave for Jamaica within the year, but she does hope for friendship and freedom to pursue her own interests.
Adrian Hathorne wants to be above reproach. He doesn’t indulge in any of the usual gentlemanly pursuits, nor does he chase after any women. When his father writes from Jamaica with instructions to marry as soon as possible, he does as asked. It is only after the wedding that he realizes he doesn’t really know how to be a husband - especially not to a bluestocking wife with so many of her own ideas.
Divorce is not an option - which means Lisbeth and Adrian need to find common ground before their marriage of convenience goes up in smoke. Just when they have discovered they don’t disagree with each other over everything, another letter arrives from Jamaica with news neither of them expected. News that will test every aspect of their fledgling marriage.