"Beauty and the Beast" is my favorite fairytale and my favorite trope. There's something so wonderfully addicting about all the trademarks of the trope: a beautiful heroine who's kind; a hero, overlooked because of "typical" beauty standards; the fact that their love means she cares for who he is on the inside rather than his exterior.
Sometimes there's also kidnapping or a little Stockholm Syndrome which works for me in books!
Here are 15 historical romances with the trope - with my favorites noted.
- The Duchess Deal ★★★★★
The epitome of a historical romcom! Girl meets scarred, reclusive duke; duke needs an heir; duke proposes marriage. It's Tessa Dare at her best. - The Highwayman ★★★★★
Kerrigan Byrne's historicals feel so dark - if you're a dark romance fan, this is definitely a historical to try. It's about childhood friends torn apart, and a criminal who finds her years later.
CW: assault/rape, PTSD, violence, sex work mentioned, abuse - If You Deceive ★★★★★
An age gap revenge plot between a scarred Laird and the daughter of the couple who ruined his life. This is the one "deception plot" I can get on board with.
CW: violence, PTSD, miscarriage, dubious consent - The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie ★★★★★
Not a classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale, because the hero isn't physically scarred. But in the late 1800's his autism was undiagnosed, resulting in him spending a decade in an asylum where he was tortured. He's now rumored to be "mad" but is completely fixated on a widow-turned-unexpected-heiress.
CW: past abuse in asylum, witnessing domestic violence/murder, violence - Lord of Scoundrels ★★★★★
A beloved historical romance for good reason - this book perfectly straddles old school and modern historicals. Jessica Trent is a sharp tongued spinster and Sebastian Ballister, Marquess of Dain, is big and bad with a black reputation. - The Duke With the Dragon Tattoo ★★★★★
If you enjoy The Highwayman I can almost guarantee you will love this book. It feels similar, but different enough to stand on its own.
The heroine and hero befriend each other as young adults, after she saves his life and nurses him back to health. But he disappears for over a decade - only to return on her wedding day.
CW: abuse, near death, violence, amnesia, witnessed domestic violence - To Pleasure a Prince
A duke's daughter with a secret, an icy reputation, and who's turned down a dozen marriage proposals tries to tame the "Dragon Viscount".
CW: child abuse, PTSD, violence - To Beguile a Beast
A legendary beauty runs from the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle to escape her past, with her two children in tow. A very unique single parent romance.
CW: past torture, domestic violence - Beauty Tempts the Beast
The hero of this book is based on Dr. House from the TV show House, need I say more?
A pregnancy rumor forces the heroine to quickly marry, and the heroes father sets her up with his grouchy son. - Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed
To save her sister, the heroine agrees to allow the scarred scoundrel of Castle Craven to have seven sinful nights with her. But soon she wishes he would see the potential for their future instead of limits because of his appearance. - The Beast of Beswick
A woman trying to save her sister barters with the reclusive Duke of Beswick to harbor them in exchange for herself. Described as Beauty and the Beast meets The Taming of the Shrew. - The Beast of Bath
A more classic retelling of Beauty and the Beast that features a fleeing heroine and the scarred Viscount who saves her. He lives in the dark, accepting he will always be lonely, until she seems to see past his appearance without fear. - Texas Destiny
A western! Amelia has arranged to marry a rancher, Dallas Leigh, and has fallen for him over their long written letters. But after he breaks his leg he sends his brother, Houston, to pick her up from the train station. Houston is scarred from the Civil War and closed off from everyone - including his brother - but can't help but feel something for the sly woman he journeys home with. - The Raven Prince
A widower who works for a grump, scarred earl finds herself drawn to him but prevented from acting on it by propriety. So... she disguises herself in a brothel he visits.
CW: domestic abuse (not H/h), loss of family - Darling Beast
A Viscount who was nearly killed from a beating and is now mute hides out as a gardener in a pleasure garden, and meets an actress with a child. They need him, and he needs to prove he isn't the murderer he's accused of being.
CW: violence, abuse
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