Historical Romance Set in the Jazz Age

The clink of champagne glasses, the sultry wail of a saxophone, the rustle of beaded dresses as couples dance the Charleston—the Jazz Age continues to captivate our imaginations nearly a century later. There's something irresistible about the 1920s, that glittering decade caught between the shadow of World War I and the looming Great Depression. It was a time when women bobbed their hair and raised their hemlines, when prohibition made drinking an act of rebellion, and when the old rules about love and marriage began to crumble. Perhaps that's why historical romances set in this era feel so alive—they capture a moment when anything seemed possible, when people dared to love boldly and live on their own terms.

This collection brings together six remarkable books that transport you to that intoxicating era, each offering its own perspective on love, ambition, and the price of freedom. F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby: The Original 1925 Edition" serves as the quintessential starting point—Jay Gatsby's desperate yearning for Daisy Buchanan remains the defining Jazz Age romance, capturing all the glamour and tragedy of the decade.

Paula McLain's "The Paris Wife" drops you into the heady world of 1920s Paris alongside Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway's first wife. Through Hadley's eyes, you experience the intoxicating bohemian life of American expatriates, but also the painful reality of loving a man whose ambition will always come first. Similarly, Therese Anne Fowler's "Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald" gives voice to another woman who lived in the shadow of literary greatness. Zelda emerges not just as F. Scott's muse and burden, but as a vibrant, talented woman struggling against the constraints of her time and her marriage.

The theme of women pushing boundaries runs through Anita Loos's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes," which sparkles with the same wit that made it a sensation when first published. Lorelei Lee, the original material girl, uses her charms to navigate a world that underestimates her intelligence—a delightful reminder that the flapper's rebellion often came wrapped in rouge and rhinestones.

For a darker take on Jazz Age rebellion, Suzanne Rindell's "The Other Typist" plunges you into 1920s New York through the eyes of Rose Baker, a police typist whose ordered world unravels when the mysterious Odalie arrives. The novel captures the era's intoxicating blend of freedom and danger, where speakeasies and secrets go hand in hand. Libba Bray's "The Diviners" adds a supernatural twist to 1920s Manhattan, following Evvie O'Neill as she discovers her uncanny powers might help catch a killer. Both novels understand that the decade's glitter often concealed shadows.

What unites these stories is their understanding that the 1920s represented more than just flappers and gin joints. It was a decade when women fought for independence, when artists challenged conventions, and when love itself became an act of rebellion. Whether you're following Zelda's artistic ambitions, Hadley's devoted heartbreak, or Evvie's dangerous gift, these novels remind us that the Jazz Age was really about people daring to want more than society allowed.

So pour yourself something sparkling (legal now, thankfully), put on some Duke Ellington, and lose yourself in these stories of love and longing. Each book in this collection offers its own melody in the grand jazz symphony of the 1920s—some sweet, some melancholy, all utterly transporting. After all, as these novels prove, the best romances aren't just about finding love; they're about finding yourself in a world that's changing faster than the quickstep. And really, isn't that a dance we're all still learning?