We Asked Virginia Heath for Her Romance Recs and She Delivered
You’ll never guess which genre this historical romance author is obsessed with right now…
Ready to spiral into another book binge? This list was built to match your current mood or maybe tempt you into a new one.
Romance Reads Virginia Heath Recommends (That Might Surprise You)
📺 Prefer to watch instead? Scroll to the bottom to watch the video with Virginia as she shares her recs (with full fangirl energy)
You probably know Virginia Heath as the queen of historical romantic comedy, her heroines are delightfully chaotic, her heroes are grumpy but secretly soft, and there’s always some kind of shenanigans in a drawing room.
But what does a Regency rom-com author read when she’s off-duty?
I had Virginia on the podcast this week to chat about her latest release, Look Before You Leap (grumpy/sunshine lovers, this one is for you), and naturally, I had to ask her what she's been loving lately.
Her answers? A spicy surprise, a cowboy curveball, and of course, one all-time classic you might want to bump to the top of your TBR.
Here’s what she’s recommending:
Tessa Bailey
“I’ve been gobbling up absolutely everything Tessa Bailey’s written.”
Virginia’s currently deep in her spicy rom-com era, and Tessa Bailey is her go-to. It’s the voice, it’s the heat, it’s the banter—you get it. If you haven’t read It Happened One Summer or Hook, Line, and Sinker, start there. But honestly? She’s bingeing the whole backlist.
Lyla Sage
“I’ve been going through a bit of a cowboy phase... which is a bit bizarre for someone from London who has never, ever in her life been anywhere where cowboys are.”
Honestly, this was the plot twist I didn’t see coming, but now I need Virginia Heath to write a Regency cowboy. She loved the Rebel Blue Ranch series, starting with Done and Dusted, and especially the final book Wild and Wrangled, and is officially in the market for more cowboy recs. (Same.)
Sabrina Jeffries
When the historical romance mood hits, Sabrina Jeffries is a staple on Virginia’s shelf. If you’re into smart heroines, sexy lords, and just the right amount of scandal, Jeffries always delivers.
Evie Dunmore, Manda Collins, and Martha Waters
Virginia gave a quick shoutout to these modern historical queens, and honestly, it tracks. They all write clever, feminist heroines and swoony heroes, with a fun, fresh take on the genre that fits right in with what Virginia writes herself.
Julia Quinn
“She was kind of my gateway into historical romance.”
Before writing her own Regencies, Virginia only read contemporary romance. But it was Julia Quinn who lured her in. Whether you’re a Bridgerton newbie or a longtime fan, this one’s a classic influence.
Nora Roberts
“It’s three separate romances, three happily ever afters, and one serial killer on the loose. What’s not to like about that?”
Virginia’s all-time favorite romance novel is Montana Sky by Nora Roberts, and if you haven’t read it yet, she says start there. You get multiple romances, a big inheritance setup, and a suspense plot. It’s peak late-90s Nora in the best way.
Dive deeper into the 1990s romances! Check out the Once Upon a Genre evolution of the romance genre, 90’s installment:
Want to hear Virginia tell these stories herself (including a little Calamity Jane inspo and why her heroine likes to steal horses)? Watch the full video now on YouTube:
And if you’re curious about her newest book, Look Before You Leap is out now and has everything we love in a historical rom-com: surprise house party, grumpy viscount, tomboy lady’s companion, and lots of mutual pining.
About Look Before You Leap
The second book in Virginia Heath’s Miss Prentice’s Protégées series brings us a classic grumpy/sunshine pairing: a viscount burned by love and a lady’s companion who climbs trees, borrows horses, and definitely does not behave. When his mother throws a surprise matchmaking house party, chaos (and chemistry) ensues. It’s witty, romantic, and just the right amount of wild.
Grab Look Before You Leap on Amazon
Let me know which of Virginia’s recs you’ve read, or what unexpected genre phase you’re in right now 👀
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Sharing our love for books as Under the Covers Book Blog since 2011, running the Romanceopoly yearly reading challenge since 2019 and hosting the Reading Under the Covers podcast since 2020. Launched Mysterylandia in 2025.
I love her taste in romance. :)