Madame Askew and The Grand Arbiter

We had such a marvelous time at book club in May, with our special guest Piper J. Drake. Her novella, Keeping Cadence, is a delightful Steampunk romp which also happens to be a Romance. Naturally, during our discussion, questions turned to the Romance genre and what might be good Romance recommendations for the Steampunk reader.with that question in mind, I’ve put together a short list of gateway books that either combine the Romance genre and Steampunk or have strong romantic elements with their big serving of Alternate History.

Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger — Madame Gail is always a perfect place to start! Her Delightful Deadly series features four romances for the grown up young ladies of her Finishing School series. The first book is Presha’s story, and not only is a wonderful read in the Parsolverse, but there are some charming surprises ahead for the devoted reader. (Moderately spicy)

Death by Silver by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold — One of our past book club reads, this is another brilliant offering from our friends at Queen of Swords Press. Death by Silver is an engaging mystery set in an alternative Edwardian era London. The story features the beautifully written burgeoning romance between our two male protagonists. (Mildly spicy)

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brooks — Firmly in the Romance category, The Iron Duke combines sparks flying between our romantic protagonists with some fantastical Steampunk inventions. Filled zombies and airships and mysteries–oh my!–the book takes the reader on a wild Steampunk ride, but the Romance is equally sizzling. (A little more than moderately spicy)

Witchmark by C.L. Polk — Another one of our past book club reads and a personal favourite, Witchmark is a lyrical Historical Fantasy set in an Edwardian Era analogue, filled with magic and political intrigue. The romance between our two male leads is a delicious subplot that grounds the bigger story in poignant private moments. (Mildly spicy)

Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin — Set during a Steampunk reimagining of the Opium Wars and filled with political intrigue, fascinating Steampunk tech, and absolutely nail-biting adventure, Gunpowder Alchemy is a wonderful read and one of our first book club picks from 2020. Author Jeannie Lin does an excellent job balancing the unfolding romance between the two leads characters with breathtaking adventure. (Mildly spicy)

If you enjoy all of these books or if you are ready to dive into a more traditional historical Romance, I highly recommend The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan. This is a gorgeous romance set in a fictional English village against the backdrop of the late 19th century. With a dazzling, slow burn romance between our two main characters and plenty of social commentary about the era, this is an intricate, beautifully written romance by one of the best modern authors of the genre. (Moderately spicy)

Happy Reading!
~Madame

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