Clean Romance Books and Authors

Clean romance can be hard to find so I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite clean romance books and authors.

Clean romance books can also be called closed door romance books or proper romance books.

A lot of people love to read romance books, but many don’t want to read open door romance with all the descriptive details. If you are one that wants romance but prefers it clean and more of a proper romance, this list is for you.

Some of these books are just clean historical romance books and some are considered Christian romance.

Our book lists are a little different because the lists we share are all books that we have read. So the books listed on our clean romance books and authors are books we have actually read.

Sarah M. Eden

I have read several Sarah M. Eden books over the years and enjoyed her writing. Three below are the most recent books by her that I have read.

The Lady and the Highwayman is a proper romance book about two authors during the Victorian age. It is the first book in the Dread Penny Society series.

The Gentleman and the Thief is a proper romance book is set in London in 1865. The Gentleman and the Thief is the second book in the the Dread Penny Society Series.

Healing Hearts is another proper romance books by Sarah M. Eden. This one was a clean, somewhat cheesy, predictable, romance, but I enjoyed it.

Elizabeth Camden

I have read several books by Elizabeth Camden and have several on my to be read list. I love that Elizabeth Camden’s writing is clean romance, but still has a decent storyline and plot. A lot of clean Christian romance is super cheesy. I don’t find Elizabeth Camden’s books too cheesy. Slightly, maybe, but not too bad.

Carved In Stone is part mystery part romance. It involves a wealthy widow, who is also a botanist that lives on a college campus, and an Irish immigrant lawyer, who comes from a hard life.

Beyond All Dreams is one I read a couple of years ago and liked it for an easy read. It involves maps, libraries, a mystery, and of course romance.

Sarah Sundin

I read Sarah Sundin years ago, like ten plus years ago. I have not read any recent ones, but I have quite a few of her books on my Kindle waiting to be read. I think Sarah Sundin does a good job of taking difficult topics and making them easy to read.

Until the Leaves Fall In Paris is one of Sarah Sundin’s more recent releases. It is my favorite Sarah Sundin book that I have read so far. Ballerina Lucie Girard buys her friend’s Paris bookshop in order to save her Jewish friends. A widower and his daughter then visit her store and their lives will never be the same. 

A Distant Melody is book one in the Wings of Glory series which is set in WWII. I read this series quickly, one right after the other. They made for easy reads and were a break from the heavier topics I was reading at the time.

A Memory Between Us is book two in the Wings of Glory series, but this series does not have to be read in order.

Blue Skies is book three in the Wings of Glory series. This one is about a WWII pilot and a war widow.

Karen Barnett

I think I will read just about anything Karen Barnett writes. I have read all three books in her Vintage National Parks series. I have also read the first book in her Smoky Mountains series. Karen Barnett was a park ranger and now is an author who writes books set in or about National Parks. I love that these books teach me facts about the parks that I did not know. Karen Barnett also does a great job describing the parks, settings, and characters in her stories.

The Road To Paradise is set in Mt. Rainer National Park during the 1920s. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and I loved the setting of this book.

Where the Fire Falls is the second book in the Vintage National Parks series. This one one is set in Yosemite National Park during the 1920s.

Ever Faithful is book three in the series. It is set in Yellowstone National Park during the 1930s. I have never been to Yellowstone, but after reading this book I want to!

When Stone Wings Fly is the most recent book by Karen Barnett that I have read. It is set in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I learned so much in this book about the Parks system and how they forced families off their land.

Kelli Stuart

I have only read one book by Kelli Stuart, but I will definitely read more by her.

The Master Craftsman is set in Russia during the time of the Romanoffs. I loved this one because I have not read a lot about the Romanoffs and the Faberge Eggs.

Julia Klassen

I have read several Julie Klassen books over the years. She is one of my go-to authors for me when I want an easy to read, clean, historical fiction romance type book. The two books below are the most recent ones that I have read by her.

The Sisters of Sea View was published in 2021. It has a mix of mystery, family life, tragedy, and, of course, romance. This isn’t my favorite Julie Klassen book, but I still enjoyed it.

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill is the first book in a three-book series. It is about an inn, a widow, and of course romance.

The Girl In the Gatehouse was a little bit cheesy with its Jane Austen inspired characters and quotes, but it was the exact book I needed at the exact time.

Shadow of Swanford Alley is a newer Julie Klassen book that was released in 2022. The story involves an old abbey, a famous author, family secrets, a death, a mystery, and, of course, some romance.

Courtney Walsh

The Happy Life of Isadora Bently by Courtney Walsh was a recent read for me. I have only read a couple of Courtney Walsh books, so I am not sure that all of them are closed door clean fiction, but this one was.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bently is a quicky fun, book that I really enjoyed.

Jen Turano

A Match In the Making by Jen Turano was another recent read for me. I think this is the only Jen Turano book that I have read, but I will definitely read more of her books,

This book set in the Gilded Age is listed as historical fiction, but it fits in the Rom-Com category. It is definitely a rom-com mixed with historical fiction.

Mary Connealy

My daughter loved Mary Connealy when she was a teenager. I loved that they were clean romances, that I didn’t mind her reading. I have read a few of them, but she read way more of them than I did. I will say that after you have read a few of her book series, they are all about the same. Although we love her books, I am not sure I will every read all her books because they are so similar.

Aiming For Love is the first book in the Brides of Hope Mountain book series. It is a series about three sisters who grew up fairly wild, as in living in nature, not wild in character, in southwest Colorado. I have read all three books in this series. If you want some fun, easy to read romance books, this is a fun series.

Accidental Guardian is the first book in the High Sierra Sweethearts series. Grace read all three of the books in this series. She will admit that they are cheesy romantic westerns, but are also clean and a great reads.

The Lassoes In Texas series are the first Mary Connealy books that I have read. Or at least I think they are the first ones. These are similar to the other series. They are clean, western romance books that are fun when you need a quick easy read.

Kate Breslin

I have only read one Kate Breslin book, but I know that she is a go to author for many people when it comes to clean romance. I enjoyed the one that I have read and have several of her other books on my Kindle waiting to be read.

Not By Sight is set during WWI. There are a lot of historical fiction books set during WWII, but not nearly as many set in WWI. I love that reading this book help me learn historical facts that I didn’t know.

Erica Vetsch

I have only read two Erica Vetsch books, but she is a must read author for many people who love historical romance.

The Lost Lieutenant is the first book in a series. It is about a manor, an earl, love and more. This is a great read for those that like clean regency romance.

The Gentleman Spy is the second book in the series. It is another regency romance. This time it involves an inheritance, a duke, a duchess, and of course some romance.

Katherine Reay

I have read several Katherine Reay books and enjoyed them. These three books by her are not really considered proper romance books because they are set in modern times, but they are clean fun romance books that I enjoyed.

Dear Mr. Knightly is a modern day retelling of Jane Austen. It is about a college girl who is given a grant to go to school. As part of the grant she has to write letters to the donor telling them about how school and life are going. And mixed in with that is a love story.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is about books, a bookstore, love, and forgiveness. It is set in a small town and as that cozy small town book feel. This was one of my favorite books the year that I read it.

Of Literature and Lattes is the follow up book to The Printed Letter Bookshop, but it can be read as a stand alone book. It is a follow up book because it is set in the same small town and some of the same people are in the book. This one is set around a coffeeshop. I hope that Katherine Reay writes more books about this small town and the people that live there.

Do you have a favorite clean or proper romance book? We would love to hear what it is, so leave a comment letting us know.