One thing I love about being an author and reader is to connect readers with new-to-them authors. I’m a voracious reader who reads across many genres. I’m often reading two or three at a time and finish at least a book or two a week. Tracie Peterson is a beloved historical author who is prolific with over 100 books written. Her stories are set fully in their historical time and location with characters that will pull you deeply into the story. It’s easy to understand why readers love her and consistently make her a best-seller. But maybe you’ve read all of her books or would like to discover authors like her.

If you like Tracie’s books, here are a few other authors to try in no particular order (I’ve enjoyed all of their books for varied reasons):

1) DeeAnne Gist is a best-selling author. In fact her debut novel A Bride Most Begrudging convinced me that Christian historical fiction could be fresh and new. Since then she has written many books. They have strong heroines, flashes of humor, and a richness of time period and detail that historical readers love. And the romances are heart-stopping. One of my favorites is Maid to Match, which is set at the Biltmore.

2) Tamera Alexander has written primarily in two areas. Frontier Colorado and Reconstruction Nashville. I ADORE the books set in Nashville. They are sweeping stories set in the midst of real people, places and events. I loved them so  much when we were in Nashville I had to go to Belle Meade to see the location of some of her books. The covers are GORGEOUS…who wouldn’t want to wear one of those gowns? Most important, the characters are deeply layered with spiritual threads we can all relate to. I love it when a book resonates with me at a deeper level.

3) Jody Hedlund writes books that are often set in real events. Several of her books are inspired by romances between historical characters, and I loved that I already knew something about the historical characters. I also admire her writing because she is constantly writing in different time periods. One book might be in Ye Old England, another on Ft. Mackinac in the early 1800s and another in Oregon later in the 18th Century. She’s a best-selling author because her characters are fully developed and the settings detailed and vibrant. The conflicts are historical and you might learn a thing or two in the process of reading.

4) Elizabeth Camden writes books set during the Gilded Age. I’ve read a couple, but really loved her latest, With Every Breath. This novel had elements of mystery combined with an interesting historical setting: the effort to cure tuberculosis in 1880s Washington, DC. And honestly, that’s what I love most about historical fiction is the chance to escape into a story that allows me to learn something while enjoying characters that are struggling through life in a way I can relate to. With Every Breath also has a wonderful cast of supporting characters — just imagine a boarding house in 1880s D.C. Judges, ambassadors and Congressman make meals very interesting.

5) Carol Cox has written several romantic mysteries set in Old West Arizona. A resident of Arizona, she brings a fun life to this location. I thoroughly enjoyed Love in Disguise. The sense of humor was so fun as the heroine played two different roles all in the effort to keep her job with the Pinkerton Agency. In the meantime she had to solve a mystery while falling in love with someone who could never know the real woman. Well worth the time to try — and if you like it, there’s a series!

6) Jen Turano has a fun voice for Gilded Age romances, and you can try her with a free novella Gentleman of Distinction. That’s how I discovered her. I loved the novella so much that my husband asked if we needed to stop and buy the first book in the series — even though I already had it waiting for me at home. Even more fun, scenes in the novella are in the first novel from a different perspective. The stand alone novels are connected by characters, so I would read them in order, but you certainly don’t need to. There’s a fun pacing and series of events in each book, and the romances are frothy and light. So if you’re looking for a fun vacation read, try her books.

7) Kathleen Y’Barbo’s Secret Lives of Will Tucker is a fun steampunk series. I never imagined I would read let alone enjoy steampunk, but I flew through this series. Steampunk simply means that there’s a push on the science front…a push that could be fantastical — think the Sherlock Holmes movies. The characters are fun and show up in future novels, but each novel could be read alone. However, the Will Tucker thread continues through the three books. If you love reading series that go together, then this is a great series for you.

8) Dawn Crandall has a fantastic series set in the Gilded Age. A complex family saga, each book can stand alone but when read together there is a richness that is fantastic. I recommend you start at the beginning, a very good place to start, with The Hesitant Heiress. This novel won the Debut Book of the Year from ACFW in 2015 and was a wonderful read. It will also get you started well with a fully developed series, that you can read straight from one book into the next.

This is only a beginning. Who are some authors that you would add to this list? I’d love to learn who you’re go-to historical authors are.