The best thing about romance novels is that they can transport you easily to somewhere that’s wholly different from anywhere you’ve been before.
Romance novels use a wide variety of different settings, from regency England, to the sophisticated cafe’s of France. But, perhaps one of the best settings that we love to indulge in, are the rugged plains of Ireland.
Ireland, with its wild beauty, and the untamed forces of nature make for the perfect backdrop for a romance novel. We encounter daring heroes, who don’t mind succumbing to a fight for their lady’s honor.
The thing is, with so many Irish romance novels out there, it can be hard to choose one that you know is going to be worth reading.
Thankfully, that’s where we come in. Below, we’ve compiled a list of what we believe to be some of the very best Irish romance novels that you can indulge in today.
Whether you’re in the mood for a medieval romp, or a modern romance, we’ve got something that you’re sure to love. To find out more, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look.
Jewel Of The Sun By Nora Roberts
If you’ve been reading romance books for a while now, chances are that you’ve come across Nora Roberts. Roberts is regarded as one of the greats when it comes to historical romance, and it’s not hard to see why.
If you have yet to read Roberts’ illustrious work, then we’d recommend that you get started with this book, titled ‘Jewel Of The Sun’, which is regarded as one of her very best.
It’s also the first in the Gallaghers of Ardmore series, so you can continue following the adventures of our protagonists with later books.
In this particular book, we meet Jude Murray, who decides that she wants to experience a little bit of excitement and magic in her life.
She decides that the best way to do this is to rent a cottage in Ireland, called Faerie Hill Cottage, which allows her to study mythology and folk practices that she has a great interest in.
During her stay in Ireland, she meets a handsome stranger called Aidan Gallagher, who has just returned to his country after many years of travel.
He knows all about the folkloric secrets of his homeland, and decides to share some of these mysteries with Jude, who he believes to be one of the wildest, and most passionate women he’s ever met.
As they delve deeper into their studies, they begin to fall deeper and deeper in love too. For those who love Irish romance novels, you’ll be absolutely enthralled by the mystical setting of this book.
Hello Stranger By Lisa Kelypas
Now, although this book isn’t technically based in Ireland, but rather, Victorian London, please indulge us with this pick.
This novel has one of the most swoon worthy heroes that you’ll ever meet in a romance book, and he just so happens to be irish.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of reading a Lisa Kleypas book before, then please allow us to introduce you to this novel, which is a part of her latest ‘Ravenels’ series.
Despite the fact that this book is a part of a series, it can also be read as a standalone book. In this one, we meet our heroine, Dr. Garrett Gibson, who also happens to be the only female physician in the whole of Britain.
She’s a headstrong and determined woman, who always puts her work at the forefront of her life. That is until she meets the illustriously handsome Ethan Ransom.
Ethan is a former detective, and is also an incredibly secretive individual, who happens to have some unseemly dalliances in his professional career.
They share an incredibly passionate night together, but this only leaves them wanting more.
They both get thrown into a government-wide plot that threatens not only their love, but also their lives. How will these two manage to survive the ordeal, and will they risk it all for the sake of their romance?
The Irish Witch By Leigh Anne Edwards
If you’re somebody who’s into a little fantasy along with their romance, then we’d recommend that you take a closer look at this novel by Leigh Anne Edwards.
This one is great if you want a transportative novel that’s a part of a wider series that you get stuck into.
The Irish witch is all about a highly unconventional, and very witchy protagonist called Alainn, who is a part of a powerful Irish clan.
She works as a healer within the clan, but she doesn’t always use the most common and acceptable forms of healing with some bandages and slings.
Alainn instead uses her magical powers to heal her clan members, but she’s going to need these powers for a whole lot more than simple scrapes and bruises soon, as dark forces begin to arise.
These terrible forces threaten to not only take over the whole of Alainn’s clan, but also, the man that she has always loved the most, Killian.
Killian and Alainn have both loved one another since they were children, and the thought of anybody tearing them apart is unbearable for Alainn. She decides that she’s going to fight for her family, and her love.
Normal People By Sally Rooney
Now, we couldn’t get through an Irish romance novel list without mentioning Sally Rooney, could we?
Normal People has been widely heralded as one of the greatest contemporary romance books of all time, and if you haven’t had the opportunity to delve into it yet, then we’d recommend that you pick this one up.
Normal People is a highly unconventional book, and follows the journey of two young people throughout their lives, and how they slowly fall in love with one another throughout different stages.
In school, Connell is a part of the popular tribe, he’s great at sports, and seems to hold all of the confidence in the world. Marianne however, does not.
Marianne, who is gawky and unconventional in terms of appearance, is ostracized by her classmates, who believe her to be one of the strangest people they’ve met.
But, when Connell’s mother is hired as a cleaner at Marianne’s home, an unlikely romance begins to blossom.
Connell, who is afraid of being found out by his classmates for sleeping with Marianne, says that they must keep their romance a secret.
But, all of this is about to change when Connell and Marianne both enter University, and Conell, who was always the most popular person in the room, is now at a complete loss when it comes to finding new friends.
Marianne on the other hand, thrives socially, and really begins to blossom. The two try to navigate their way through the difficulties of their separate paths, and see whether their love can bridge this divide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jane Austen, is widely regarded as the greatest romance novelist of all time, with her book Pride and Prejudice being long standing, as the most influential romance book in existence.
The main age group for romance novels has shifted somewhat over time. 10 years ago the main age group reading romance novels consisted of women aged anywhere from 35 to 54 years of age.
Today, however, this number has expanded significantly, and now consists of women between the ages of 18 and 54, increasing by almost 20 years.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are so many great books out there based in Ireland, or which contain Irish characters that you can indulge in.
If you’re in the mood for something that’s a little bit magical, with elements of fantasy, we’d recommend that you check out Jewel Of The Sun By Nora Roberts, or The Irish Witch By Leigh Anne Edwards.
If, on the other hand, you’re in search of the perfect Irish hero to get you hot under the collar, we’d recommend Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas.
If you want something more modern and slightly grittier, then we’d recommend that you check out Normal People by Sally Rooney.