When it comes to romance novels, the 80s are very much heralded as the golden era of the genre. It’s the era when illustrious authors such as Judith McNaught, and Nora Roberts were really making waves, and producing some of the most memorable romance novels of all time.
There have been countless classics produced during the 1980s, and it’s great to revisit these in order to see where it all began.
Many of these romance books are also credited with some of the tropes that we see most frequently revisited today.
For example, novels from this era were some of the first to produce the enemies to lovers trope that we’re all obsessed with now.
But with so many amazing books produced during the 1980s, it can be difficult to know where to get started.
Thankfully, that’s where we come in. Below, we’re going to be taking a look at some of our favorite picks, that you can get started with today.
To find out more, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look.
Where Passion Leads By Lisa Klepas
The first book that we’re going to be taking a closer look at is Where Passion Leads, which was published in 1987 by Lisa Kleypas.
Nowadays, Lisa Kleypas is still heralded as the undefeated queen of romance, and this novel is where it all began.
Kleypas published this novel in the same year that she graduated from college, and won the ‘Miss Massecheusets’ title. It catapulted her to stardom, and is still considered to be a staple of the romance genre today.
In this book, we follow the tempestuous relationship between two lovers called Rosalie and Randall.
Rosalie actually starts out her journey in this novel by being abducted by Randall, who is considered to be one of the most notorious rakes in the whole of London.
It turns out that Randall has in fact abducted the wrong woman, and he slowly begins to realize this as he comes to verbal blows with Rosalie.
But, despite their conflict, the two of them begin to realize the powers of love, and must together, find their way through a labyrinth of unquestionable danger.
If you’re a romance reader who likes a lot of excitement within the plot, as well as a great deal of twists and turns, you’re going to adore this one.
It’s also highly enjoyable to compare Kleypas’ earlier fiction with the books she’s publishing today.
A Kingdom Of Dreams By Judith McNaught
If you’re at all interested in the romance genre, then chances are that you’ve heard this book being mentioned several times.
A kingdom of dreams has often been described by romance readers as a ‘perfect’ book. McNaught is an author that’s often heralded in the genre as being one of the great pioneers of romance fiction.
She has an excellent ability to handle the emotional depths of love, and portray all of its nuances.
If you’re a lover of celtic romance, then you’re going to love this one, as it takes place in the windswept Scottish highlands.
This book follows the young beauty Jennifer Merrick, who is an incredibly headstrong Scottish lass who doesn’t like following orders from anyone.
In this book, she’s abducted by the Duke of Claymore, who is a rival of her family. The Duke is commonly known as ‘the wolf’, and all of those around him as used to cowering down in his presence. That is, until he meets Jennifer, who is unwilling to bend to his rules.
Jennifer uses her wits and intelligence to escape his grips, but one passionate evening spent together changes everything, and might even be enough to cause her to yield to this man.
This book is an excellent read if you’re a big fan of the enemies to lovers trope, as this one is a real trailblazer.
Gentle Warrior By Julie Garwood
The next romance book we’re going to be taking a closer look at is ‘Gentle warrior’, by Julie Garwood.
Garwood is a bestselling New York Times author, and has sold thousands of copies of her romance fiction over the years.
Perhaps some of her best work was produced during the 1980s, as evidenced by this particular story.
This book takes place in feudal England during the Medieval period, so if you’re a fan of historical romance, this one will be perfect for you.
In this tale, we come across a young woman called Elizabeth, who by the time we meet her, has undergone immeasurable suffering.
As a result of a particularly bloody battle, she has lost all that is dear to her, including her family, and the ancestral castle that she was due to inherit.
Her life looks like it’s in complete ruins, that is until she decides that she’s going to take matters into her own hands.
Elizabeth decides that she’s going to dress up as a peasant boy, in order to gain access to the castle owned by Goeffrey Berkley.
Berkeley is the man who ordered the massacre that tore Elizabeth’s world apart, and she decides she’s going to plead with him for her rights.
Berkeley is completely taken by Elizabeth’s charms, and proves to be far more sympathetic than she first anticipated.
He decides that he’s going to champion her cause, and attempt to make her fall in love with him too.
The Maiden By Jude Deveraux
Now, we couldn’t move through our 80’s romance novel list without mentioning Jude Deveraux. Deveraux is known as one of the greatest romance authors of all time, and is heralded as one of the best when it comes to portraying strong, fierce heroines.
She’s also known as being fantastic at spanning over a whole host of different time periods and settings, including 19th century New Mexico, Regency England, and Revolutionary America.
In this particular book, we find ourselves firmly in Greece, where our two protagonists meet. In this book, we meet a warrior princess called Jura, and a powerful prince called Rowan.
When these two first meet, they have no idea about the status that the other holds. They share a passionate evening together, marked by an unforgettable kiss.
Some years pass, and Jura is horrified to learn that the man she’s been dreaming of is none other than the hated Prince Rowan, who is trying to usurp her brother’s throne.
What is Jura supposed to do? She still feels heavily conflicted as memories of their passionate evening together reside in her head, but she can’t betray her family.
Rowan, who has fallen for a rival, is determined to make her his, and will stop at nothing to do so.
Come Love A Stranger By Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
If you’re somebody who enjoys a great deal of excitement and twists and turns in your romance novel, then this is a great option for you.
Woodiwiss is known for her portrayal of the ‘perfect’, romance hero, with a rough and rugged outer shell, and carrying a depth of feeling and emotion revealed only to the heroine.
In this story, we follow two lovers as they fall in love and quickly marry, ready to begin their lives with one another. But fate is a cruel mistress, and one fateful day, Lierin is seemingly drowned in a river, but with no sign of her body to be found.
Eventually, Ashton meets whom he believes to be his young bride once more, as their carriages collide one perilous evening.
He takes the young woman back to his home, but soon discovers that she has no memory of who she is. Will he be able to rekindle their love once more?
One thing is for sure, he’s determined that he’s going to try.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are many great romance novels which were produced in the 1980s. Many of the ones featured on our list contain tropes which shaped the genre, and are still being followed ubiquitously in romance fiction today.
In our list above, we’ve tried to feature ones which span across a host of different time periods and regions, so that there’s something which will appeal to everyone.
We hope that our list has provided you with the inspiration you need to get reading today.