Who Are The Diverse Historical Romance Best Authors To Follow?

Oh man, if you love historical romance and want to broaden the spectrum beyond the usual Regency lineup, there’s a whole world of voices that bring fresh corners of the past to life. I’ve been fangirling over these authors for years—some for how they rewrite familiar eras with marginalized protagonists, others for queering history or dropping readers into non-Western settings. A few names I keep recommending at book clubs and to people who DM me when they want a new must-read list are Alyssa Cole, Beverly Jenkins, Courtney Milan, Sherry Thomas, and KJ Charles, but let me unpack why each matters and what vibes they bring.

Alyssa Cole is brilliant at mixing heart-wrenching stakes with smart historical details; her Civil War-era romances center Black characters with agency and emotional complexity—her work 'An Extraordinary Union' is a standout for anyone wanting history that shines a light on overlooked stories. Beverly Jenkins has been a trailblazer for decades, writing joyful, community-rooted historical romances that feature Black Americans in the 19th and early 20th centuries—her novels dismantle the erasure of Black experiences in frontier and urban spaces. Courtney Milan writes with an edge of social critique—her books lean into topics like race, class, and consent in ways that feel thoughtful and subversive, and she often foregrounds characters who aren’t the usual fare in period romance. Sherry Thomas brings lush prose and psychologically complex heroines into Victorian-ish settings and is fantastic if you like literary, atmospheric historicals. KJ Charles is my go-to for queer historical fiction—her m/m novels slot brilliant emotional beats into Regency/Victorian worlds and make you rethink what a period romance can be.

If you want to keep exploring, look for smaller presses and indie authors doing non-Western historicals or interweaving fantasy with history—there’s an exciting rise in writers telling South Asian, East Asian, Latinx, and African diasporic pasts through romantic plots. Follow reviewers and bookstagrammers who focus on representation (tags like #DiverseRomance or #OwnVoicesHistorical can be a shortcut), and don’t be shy about asking authors on social media for recs—they’re often generous with pointers to lesser-known gems. Personally, I love swapping recs with friends over coffee or in Discord chats; it’s how I found some of my favorite under-the-radar novels that felt like discovering a secret library of possibilities.

If you want starting points: read 'An Extraordinary Union' by Alyssa Cole, pick up a Beverly Jenkins backlist novel (they’re addictive), try a KJ Charles title to experience queer period romance, and dive into Courtney Milan for intelligent, boundary-pushing regency-style reads. From there, branch out into indie presses and themed recommended lists—your next favorite could be from a debut author who just reimagined history in a way you didn’t know you needed.

I get the excitement—diverse historical romance feels like opening a window to past lives that weren’t always centered in mainstream fiction, and I love pointing people to authors who do that well. Quick, practical list: Alyssa Cole (start with 'An Extraordinary Union' for brilliant Civil War-era love and spycraft), Beverly Jenkins (her novels celebrate Black community life across frontier and Victorian America), Courtney Milan (sharp, modern-feeling takes on 19th-century society), Sherry Thomas (lush, intricate Victorian-style romances), and KJ Charles (top pick for emotionally rich queer historicals).

What I usually tell friends: pick one author whose setting or themes grab you and follow their backlist—these writers often have very different flavors across books, so you’ll discover whether you crave more political depth, found-family warmth, lyrical prose, or queer romance. Also, check independent presses and community-curated lists on Goodreads or Bookstagram under tags like #DiverseRomance; that’s where I’ve found amazing debut voices who write Indian, Caribbean, and African historicals that don’t get as much spotlight. If you like, I can sketch a short list of which book to read first depending on whether you want Civil War-era social drama, Western Black town life, queer Regency intrigue, or Victorian cerebral romance—just tell me which mood you’re in.