Which time period do you like best for a historical romance novel?

I love the Renaissance ^_^ Maybe you can do a story with the Borgias in it. I'd definately read it then.

It absolutely matters! I like historical novels (not the romance part so much--at least, I don't like it to be the focus of the book) but only from certain time periods--because it is the setting that really fascinates me about these books. My favorite time periods are Ancient Rome, Medieval/Dark Ages Europe, and really ancient peoples (like Stone Age). I also find Asia (in any time period) interesting, as well as the Great Depression and World War II. It seems to me, from the little I've paid attention to this kind of book, that Old West romances are extremely popular; I personally am bored to death by that setting (though with a Native American protagonist, I would definitely consider reading it).

Think about how the setting will/could affect your plot. Even if your plot doesn't depend on any particular setting, different settings can really add to it, enhancing things that are already present in the storyline. Is it a plot full of intrigue? It might fit better in the Roman Empire or Feudal Japan (that last one is a guess; I know next to nothing about Japanese history). If the characters feel powerless against the greater forces that drag them around, maybe World War II would bring out that setting. If there is a conflict between a very traditional character/family and a very unconventional/modern one, the Old West (Native Americans/settlers) or Renaissance Europe could support this aspect of the plot.

People and their stories are always products of their times. The setting is a very important part of a historical romance, and it will completely change what the story is like and where it goes--so choose it carefully, based on the story you want to tell.

I prefer my historical romances to be set in either Medieval or Renaissance Europe. I also occasionally read a Roman or American Western, but I feel as though they lose some of the romance the other romantic settings give them.

I'm sorry this is vague but my two favourite history novels are either:

- When they're courting and they have a high, respectable class and a rich family. That way they can do things that normal families couldn't do, like ride horses to the countryside etc..

- The exact opposite, where they live with their families and the streets are poor and the living conditions are bad, but when they meet each other you can start to fade away from the negative surroundings and focus on the romance. This can show the optimism etc.

Renaissance is my favorite, but gosh, Feudal Japan sounds awesome!

Paleolithic, of course.