The Northern “Gone With The Wind”

Why do almost all of the historical romance novels seem to be set in the South and West?  And usually during the time of the Civil War?

This weekend I met a personable young lady named Jeanette Watts who is trying to change that.  She has written a historical novel about life among the privileged class of Pittsburgh (yes, Pittsburg!) during the Industrial Revolution.  Appropriately titled Wealth and Privilege, the timeframe is the late 1800s and covers the railroad riots of 1877, the assassination of President Garfield, and the Johnstown Flood, all major historical events that are normally overlooked.

The book was so well received her friends demanded a sequel, which led to Brains and Beauty, which has recently been released.

I’m not saying I read romance novels (not publically, anyway), but as a history nerd I’m very interested in the time period.  Often-overlooked events like these are just as important to our present-day circumstances as ones who still grab headlines generations later.  Oh, she also is a dancer, which would explain her third book, The Mechanics of the Waltz.

Jeanette’s website is http://jeanettewatts.com/ (easy to remember) and her books are available on Amazon.com.