Hopeless romantics don’t have to travel through time to find more heart-melting books like Outlander. Since Diana Gabaldon debuted the historical romance series in 1991, both readers and other authors have swooned. Audiences were captivated as Claire Randall, a married British Army nurse in World War II, inadvertently traveled back to 18th century Scotland. Readers fell in love with Jamie Fraser, the strapping, ginger Highlander, right along with Claire. More than 25 million copies of the eight-part series have sold in 40 countries worldwide. Ms. Gabaldon also received literary acclaim by winning the RITA Award for Best Romance.
Since 2014, fans have religiously tuned into the TV adaptation Outlander on Starz with actors Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. Between this season’s episodes, you can pick up or download other books like Outlander.
The historical romance genre has plenty of time-traveling novels to tide you over until Diana Gabaldon’s ninth book is finished. Books like Outlander keep readers spellbound with passionate adventures that span centuries and continents. They’re thrilling page-turners that weave timeless love stories from sweet to downright sizzling. Whenever you’re pining for a dreamy escape to the past, make a date with these top 50 books like Outlander.
#1 – The Lion of Wales
Sarah Woodbury
Starting with Cold My Heart, this series takes place in 537 AD during the time of King Arthur. His loyal followers find solace in northern Wales, but are becoming surrounded by Saxon soldiers. Myrddin and Nell, two of the King’s companions and lovers, see a prophetic vision of Arthur’s coming death at the Battle of Camlann. Together, they must fight to change his fate and protect Britain.
#2 – A Bridge Through Time
Gloria Gay
After her parents’ death, Jane Fielder returns to her home country of England. She visits the grand estate she toured at 14 with her mother. She’s drawn back to a painting of a young man. As Jane caresses the man’s hand, she’s blasted through time to 1803. Here she encounters the real-life version of Jestyn Greywick. Will she choose her former life or follow her heart?
#3 – Gladly Beyond
Nichole Van
Best-selling author Nichole Van tells the story of Claire Raythorn, a young woman anxious to rebuild her life in Florence, Italy. But here she encounters a mysterious, ghostly presence. A man dressed like Mr. Darcy begins appearing in her photos. Somehow Claire is the only person unaffected by Dante D’Angelo’s 200-year curse. As their love blossoms, the couple must face an unknown evil for a lifetime together.
#4 – Everything In Its Time
Dee Davis
Eight years ago, Katherine St. Claire thought she’d found her soulmate on holiday in Scotland. She and her handsome stranger shared a passionate night at Duncreag. Yet come morning, he mysteriously vanished. Living in 1467, Iain Mackintosh is haunted by the memory of Katherine’s warmth. His longing drives him back to Duncreag where she suddenly reappears. Can their love survive the 530-year barrier separating them?
#5 – Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin
Game of Thrones is among the fantasy books like Outlander that have been adapted for television. Set in Westeros, this novel depicts the brutal fights between the Seven Kingdoms. The Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, has died mysteriously. King Robert Baratheon, Prince Joffrey, and the beloved Daenerys Targaryen all journey to Winterfell to reclaim the Iron Throne. But the greatest threat lies beyond the towering Wall.
#6 – Across a Moonswept Moor
Julie Moffett
Julie Moffett’s Prism award-winning tale begins in 1997 as Fiona Chancellor travels to northern Ireland looking for her missing cousin, Faith. A mystical dagger leads her to a stone circle in Beaghmore. Her search suddenly sends her back to the mid-17th century and into a gorgeous man’s arms. Fiona begins falling for the hot-blooded Scot, Ian Maclaren. Can she give up her modern life for love?
#7 – The Fortune Hunter
Daisy Goodwin
Charlotte Baird, a young plain woman, becomes heir to the Lennox fortune at her parents’ death. Much to her Aunt Adelaide’s delight, young suitors start pursuing her. But she can’t ignore her feelings for Bay Middleton, a dashing cavalry officer with no money. Unfortunately, the stunning Empress Elizabeth also has Bay in her sights. Readers will become engrossed in this love triangle set in Victorian England.
#8 – Into the Wilderness
Sara Donati
Set in 1792, Into the Wilderness centers on Elizabeth Middleton, a 29-year-old spinster leaving her sheltered life in England. She journeys to live with her father, Alfred, in Upstate New York. Soon she discovers Alfred’s scheme to marry her to Dr. Richard Todd. Elizabeth is instead drawn to Nathaniel Bonner, a rugged Scotsman raised by a Mohawk tribe. But Nathaniel is secretly planning to claim Middleton land for his people.
#9 – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis
Published in 1950, this novel begins a classic series of books like Outlander called The Chronicles of Narnia. Here we meet four British siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. They’re sent to Professor Digory Kirke’s house to escape World War II raids. That’s where the children stumble upon a magical portal to Narnia. With talking animal sidekicks, the Pevensies fight to protect Narnia from the White Witch.
#10 – Love Beyond Time
Bethany Claire
Living in present-day Texas, Brielle Montgomery is tired of her mundane life as a kindergarten teacher. So she travels to Scotland with her archeologist mother. Their dig uncovers castle ruins nearly 400 years old. Brielle finds a secret spell room that sends her back through time. Suddenly, she’s living in Conall Castle and married to its handsome Laird. Each day without escape leaves her falling for her new husband.
#11 – The Dark Age
Traci Harding
Beginning The Ancient Future trilogy, this fantasy novel follows a 20th-century woman named Tory. A car accident leaves Tory stranded by sacred stones in the English countryside. Unexpectedly, she’s teleported back to the Dark Age. Prince Maelgwyn finds the mysterious, jean-clad woman and accuses her of being a witch. Tory challenges the Prince’s knights to a duel. With her black belt skills, Tory defeats her opponent and wins Maelgwyn’s admiration.
#12 – Rise of a Viking
Sky Purington
Cybil is overjoyed when she inherits a million-dollar oceanfront villa in Maine. Unbeknownst to her, the backyard’s ash tree connects the nine worlds of Norse mythology. She’s soon whisked back to 10th century Scandinavia. Here she meets Heidrek Sigdir, a half-dragon Viking set to claim the throne. The pair share an instant, undeniable connection. Will Heidrek rise up as King or follow his heart to a modern-day woman?
#13 – Mariana
Susanna Kearsley
Julia Beckett has realized her dream of owning the 16th century Wilshire farmhouse she’s long admired. Upon moving into Greywethers, Julia discovers it’s a magical portal though. She finds herself thrust into 17th century British life as Mariana. With each trip, Julia becomes more enthralled and attracted to Richard de Mornay, Crofton Hall’s squire. Soon Mariana’s life starts eclipsing her own and Julia must choose between the past or present.
#14 – Daughter of Time
Sarah Woodbury
Sarah Woodbury begins The After Cilmeri series by introducing Meg, a modern-day widow coping with the end of her brief, unhappy marriage. Unexpectedly, she slips through time and traverses back to 13th century Wales. Here Meg meets Prince Llywelyn. A prophetic vision allows her to save the Prince’s life from ambush. Unable to deny their attraction, the pair teams up to thwart foes who threaten Wales’ very existence.
#15 – Kushiel’s Legacy
Jacqueline Carey
Kushiel’s Legacy is a historical fantasy series set in Terre d’Ange around 1,000 years after the Bless Elua’s creation. Phédre, the protagonist, is a young woman born into indentured servitude. Reaching womanhood, she’s sold to a nobleman named Anafiel Delaunay. He becomes the first one to recognize Phédre’s special mission. She’s been chosen by Kushiel’s Dart to save her homeland from conniving traitors.
#16 – To Say Nothing of the Dog
Connie Willis
Hugo Award-winning author Connie Willis writes this comedic tale about Ned Henry, a time traveler. In 2057, Lady Schrapnell has endowed efforts to rebuild the Nazi-blitzed Coventry Cathedral. Ned is sent back to the 1940s for the famed bishop’s bird stump. But when fellow jumper Verity Kindle makes a careless mistake, Ned must venture to the Victorian era to prevent altering history forever.
#17 – The Queen of the Tearling
Erika Johansen
Following an apocalyptic event called the Crossing, the 24th century world has reverted to feudalism. Raised in exile, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Flynn is determined to reclaim her rightful throne for her 19th birthday. Armed with the Queen’s Guard and her magical Tearling sapphire necklace, Kelsea journeys back to the capital. However, she finds her kingdom in perilous danger from the sorceress ruler of neighboring Mortmesne.
#18 – The Mists of Avalon
Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Mists of Avalon is female-centered retelling of Arthurian legend that shares the story of Morgaine, an enchanted Druid priestess with second sight. As King Arthur’s half-sister, Morgaine is intensely loyal to her Celtic homeland. She’s faced with a battle to prevent patriarchal Christianity from destroying Avalon’s pagan lifestyle. But Morgaine becomes torn between her loyalty and unfulfilled love for Lancelet.
#19 – A Discovery of Witches
Deborah Harkness
British historian Diana Bishop leads a carefully ordinary life. That’s until she opens a mystic alchemical manuscript in the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Diana unknowingly unleashes a fantastical underworld filled with witches, vampires, and destructive daemons. Among the creatures is Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with ages-old vampire blood. Readers are left spellbound as Diana and Matthew fight to keep the peace.
#20 – Bridge Over Time (Book #1 of Swept Through Time Series)
Brenda Hiatt
Kathryn Monroe, a modern-day socialite, humors her mother by attending a masquerade party at a South Carolina mansion. When passing by a charming grandfather clock, Kathryn suddenly speeds through time to 1825. Meanwhile, Catherine Prescott escapes her trapped 19th-century life and takes Kathryn’s place. The nearly identical women begin falling for men the other had detested. But will fate allow them to find happiness in another life?
#21 – The Forgotten Room
Karen White, Lauren Willig, and Beatriz Williams
Dr. Kate Schuyler is a World War II doctor simply looking for success in the male-dominated field. That’s until the wounded Captain Cooper Ravenal is wheeled into her hospital. She’s inexplicably drawn to the handsome soldier. But then she finds the Captain’s portrait of a woman looking identical to Kate. When searching for answers, Kate uncovers her past connection to Olive Van Alen and Lucy Young.
#22 – The Pocket Watch Chronicles
Ceci Giltenan
Maggie Mitchell, a modern Jersey girl, is left with a broken heart watching her best friend Eliot marry Gertrude. At the wedding, Maggie meets an enchanted elderly woman. She’s given a pocket watch and 60 days to experience another life. Maggie’s suddenly on horseback and galloping into 13th century Scotland. Here she becomes Margaret and is betrothed to the handsome Highlander Logan. What will happen when her time expires?
#23 – Waterfall
Lisa Tawn Bergren
Gabriella Bentarrini, the daughter of two famed Etruscan scholars, has spent every summer digging up medieval castles in rural Italy. It’s just another hot, boring day until she touches an ancient tomb wall. Abruptly, Gabi’s transported back to 14th century Tuscany and thrust into a fierce battle. She’s fortunately rescued by a dashing knight-prince, Marcello Forelli. Castello Forelli takes her in, but Gabriella soon finds herself the target of Castello Paratore.
#24 – A Knight in Shining Armor
Jude Deveraux
Set in 1988, A Knight in Shining Armor tells the tale of Douglass Montgomery, a young woman vacationing in England with her boyfriend and his spoiled daughter. After a fight, Douglass gets abandoned without a passport. She treks to a nearby church and weeps upon a tombstone. Suddenly, a handsome stranger appears and introduces himself as Nicholas Stafford. But the tombstone says he died 400 years ago!
#25 – Doomsday Book
Connie Willis
Another of Connie Willis’ books like Outlander is Doomsday Book. Taking place in late-21st century England, this 592-page novel centers on Kivrin Engle, a young historian. She asks her boss, Professor James Dunworthy, to send her to Oxford in 1320. Despite warnings, Kivrin traverses back. However, she immediately falls ill with fever and delirium. Badri, the technician arranging her trip, also suddenly collapses. Can they stop the influenza from spreading?
#26 – Wild Swan
Celeste De Blasis
Wild Swan begins a historical romance trilogy about Alexandria Carrington Falconer and her descendants from 1813 to 1894. After her older sister’s death, Alexandria marries her widower, St. John, to help raise newborn twins. The unlikely pair eventually build a loving marriage and emigrate to America. In the New World, readers follow the love stories of Alex and St. John’s children – Blaine, Morgan, Nigel, and Gincie.
#27 – The Time Traveler’s Wife
Audrey Niffenegger
Audrey Niffenegger’s debut novel introduces Henry DeTamble, a Chicago librarian with a genetic disorder that causes him to erratically time travel. He meets and instantly falls for Clare, a sculptor. They develop a close relationship and marry. Clare yearns for a child, but the Chrono-Impairment results in six miscarriages. Overwhelmed with grief and frustration from Henry’s frequent absences, Clare must determine if their love is worth the wait.
#28 – Intertwine
Nichole Van
The House of Oak series commences with this novel about Emme Wilde, a young woman who’s unlucky in love. When she finds an old locket, Emme becomes bewitched by the portrait of an unfamiliar man inside. Determined to discover his history, she travels to England. Meanwhile, in 1812, James Knight has given up on love and its Shakesperean drama. But then a mysterious, injured Emme shows up on his estate.
#29 – Legacy
Jeanette Baker
Professor Christina Murray is ecstatic about inheriting her family’s ancestral Scottish home. Upon arriving at Traquair House, she’s welcomed by her breathtaking neighbor, Ian Douglas. As their relationship blooms, Christina dreams of three raven-haired women: Katrine, Jeanne, and Mairi. She discovers they are her ancestors and all fell victim to the house’s mystical curse. Loving Ian might cost Christina her heart and her life.
#30 – True to the Highlander
Barbara Longley
Alethia Goodsky is an ordinary, modern-day woman working at the New York Renaissance Festival. That’s where she meets a mysterious fortune teller who zaps her back to the 15th century. In 1423, Malcolm of clan MacKintosh awakens the lass. Suddenly, Alethia is thrust into bloodthirsty rivalry as Scottish nobles vie for King James’ throne. She’s forced to choose between leaving the violent land and staying true to her Highlander.
#31 – Kindred
Octavia Butler
Kindred is a widely popular neo-slave narrative about Dana Franklin, a modern African American woman living in California in 1976. While celebrating her 26th birthday with her husband Kevin, a white writer, she’s suddenly snatched. Dana is transported to an antebellum plantation in pre-Civil War Maryland. She’s initially summoned to save Rufus, the son of brutal slave owner Tom Weylin. But Dana keeps being called back and entangled in slavery life.
#32 – The Mesmerist
Pam McCutcheon
On the night before her wedding, Gina Charles finds her fiancé in a compromising position with the maid of honor. In heartbreak, she flees and seeks solitude at a Victorian hotel in Hope Springs, Virginia. The only problem is her room is haunted. Gina meets Drake Manton, a striking ghost stuck in the afterlife. He convinces Gina to travel back to 1883 in hopes of preventing his fiery death.
#33 – The Midnight Witch
Paula Brackston
Lady Lilith Montgomery, the daughter of the Duke of Radnor, is engaged to England’s most eligible bachelor. Life’s good until everything sours. Her father’s unexpected death leaves her the Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven. Lilith must dust off her necromancy skills and help defeat powerful sorcerers called Sentinels. But then she meets a middle-class artist named Bram. Lilith faces deciding between love and loyalty to her coven.
#34 – The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells
Andrew Sean Greer
Andrew Sean Greer’s novel introduces Greta Wells living in 1985 in Greenwich Village. She’s just learned of her beloved twin brother’s death from AIDS. Unable to cope, her psychiatrist suggests undergoing electroshock treatments. Somehow the therapy jolts Greta to different lives. In 1918, she’s a bohemian adulteress having an affair with Leo. In 1941, she’s married to Nathan and raising a son. Which life will she choose?
#35 – Irish Lady
Jeanette Baker
Irish Lady is another of Jeanette Baker’s books like Outlander. This romantic tale centers on Meghann McCarthy, a posh lawyer in London. She’s finally left the slums of Belfast behind. However, her former lover Michael needs her help fighting a ludicrous murder charge. Meghann finds herself digging deeper into his case. Suddenly, she’s unraveling a centuries-old mystery. The stakes are rising, but Meghann vows the Irish never give in.
#36 – The Winter Sea
Susanna Kearsley
Best-selling author Carrie McClelland has the perfect idea for her next novel. So she rents a cottage in Cruden Bay near Scotland’s famed Slain Castle for research. She’s itching to write about the Jacobite uprising of 1708 when the exiled King James tried to reclaim the crown. But Carrie finds her novel feels more fact than fiction. She discovers she’s channeling ancestral memory and uncovering centuries-old secrets that could destroy her.
#37 – The House on the Strand
Daphne Du Maurier
Magnus Lane, a London chemist, has created an enchanting potion that allows time travel back to the 14th century. When staying at his house in Kilmarth, Magnus’ friend Richard drinks the potion. Moments later, he’s teleported to an early Cornish manor. He finds emotional solace with a woman trapped in a loveless marriage. But when he tries to intervene, the terrifying consequences reverberate to the present.
#38 – The Perilous Gard
Elizabeth Marie Pope
Awarded the 1975 Newbery Honor, this YA novel takes place in mid-16th century England. Kate Sutton, a lady-in-waiting, inadvertently gets exiled by Queen Mary Tudor. She’s sent to a remote castle called Elvenwood Hall. Upon her arrival, mysterious events lead Kate to discovering an underground kingdom of Fairy Folk. She also meets Christopher Heron and interrupts his plot to sacrifice himself to save his niece Cecily from the Fairy Folk.
#39 – Into the Highlander’s World
Samantha Leal
Samantha Leal’s short story introduces Gwen, a struggling modern-day woman tricked by her cheating boyfriend. Left broke, she’s forced to move into a destitute apartment. Beneath the crumbling floorboards, she discovers an ancient sword. One touch transports her back to Scotland where she meets the stunning Andrew Urquhart, a determined Highlander protecting his clan’s land. Their intense passion makes Gwen wonder if she’s where she always belonged.
#40 – The Immortal Descendants
April White
Beginning with Marking Time, this four-part series of books like Outlander revolves around 17-year-old Saira Elian. One day, an old graffiti tag on a London tube station sends Saira back to 19th century Victorian England. Here she meets Archer, a charming young man who explains the existence of Immortals. Saira learns she’s a Descendent of Time right before her mother mysteriously vanishes and the clock starts ticking.
#41 – Lost in the Highlands
Lorraine Beaumont
Lost in the Highlands is an interactive, time travel romance written by #1 international best-selling author Lorraine Beaumont. Readers will meet Paige Walsh, a present-day woman in North Carolina who’s attending the annual Highland Games on Grandfather Mountain. Here she encounters a Gypsy and wishes to find a hunky Highlander. Somehow her desire comes true and she’s reverted to 12th century Scotland with an entire clan of Highlanders.
#42 – Beautiful Wreck
Larissa Brown
Beautiful Wreck opens in a bleak 22nd century Ireland that’s built on virtual reality. Ginn, a young programmer, designs role-playing games for wannabe Vikings. But suddenly one of her projects malfunctions and she’s stranded in 10th century Iceland. Ginn is found by Heirik, a Viking clan leader facing a terrible curse. Despite forces rising to separate them, Ginn finds her home in Heirik’s heart.
#43 – Human Croquet
Kate Atkinson
Isobel Fairfax is a typical teenage girl growing up in a 1960s London suburb. Except her parents suddenly vanish, leaving her and her brother Charles with their sour Aunt Vinny. Isobel finds that their ancestral home in Lythe was built upon an original manor that burned in 1605. During her explorations, she’s suddenly caught in a Shakespearean time warp. Isobel unearths shocking past truths that could destroy her family’s future.
#44 – A Dance Through Time
Lynn Kurland
Elizabeth Smith, a writer living in 1996 New York City, finds herself stuck with a stalled career and uncaring fiancé. Her only joy comes from her unpublished romance novels. Until a rugged Scottish warrior starts calling her. She’s transported from a Gramercy Park bench to 1311 outside James MacLeod’s castle. Elizabeth instantly recognizes the voice of the arrogant laird, but can she cross the threshold of his keep?
#45 – Out of Time
Monique Martin
Professor Simon Cross has devoted his scientific career to finding proof of vampires. When an experiment goes awry, Simon and his assistant, Elizabeth West, are teleported to 1920s Manhattan. Here they find immortal demons vying for power and the evidence he’s always wanted. But now the city’s vampiristic kingpin sets his dark sights on Elizabeth. Simon must admit he’s also found the love he never expected.
#46 – Veil of Time
Claire R. McDougall
Inspired by books like Outlander, Veil of Time is about Maggie, a divorced woman retreating to a Scottish cottage. She’s epileptic and relies on medication to cure the seizures. So when she suddenly wakes up in eighth century Dunadd, Maggie blames the drugs. But she’s actually traveled through time and into the arms of Fergus, the King’s brother. As they grow closer, Maggie’s torn between present-day demands and her heart.
#47 – Hemlock
N.J. Layouni
After her worthless ex-boyfriend dumps her, Martha Bigalow escapes to the English Lake District. On a hike, Martha tries crossing ancient stepping stones and falls into a rampant river. She jumps awake in a cave with a shocking attractive stranger named Vadim. Soon Martha discovers she’s left behind the 21st century for medieval Erde. While sidestepping the Evil Earl and his minions, Martha questions whether she can trust her heart with Vadim.
#48 – Beyond the Highland Mist
Karen Marie Moning
Karen Marie Moning’s debut novel centers on Hawk, a legendary battlefield warrior. The arrogant Scottish laird never refuses a woman’s touch. But no one’s ever reached his cold heart. That’s until a resentful fairy jolts Adrienne de Simone from present-day Seattle into the medieval Highlands. Despite being coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vows to keep her distance. How long will her resolve hold out?
#49 – Knight Errant
Rodrigo Garcia y Robertson
Robyn Stafford, an up-coming American executive, flies to London to surprise her boyfriend for his birthday. Only she’s greeted by his wife. While nursing her heartbreak, Robyn hikes across the Welsh border. Here she stumbles across a handsome knight on horseback. He calls himself Edward Plantagenet and proclaims it’s 1459. Robyn doesn’t buy it until three hostile, armed knights arrive and she’s drawn into the conflict.
#50 – Lady of Hay: Two Women, Eight Hundred Years, and the Destiny They Share
Barbara Erskine
Jo Clifford, a college journalism major, is participating in a research project on hypnotic regression. While hypnotized, she plunges into the life of Matilda, Lady of Hay, in 13th century Wales. She views snippets of Matilda’s loveless marriage and troubled love for Richard. Unfortunately, Jo also sees Matilda’s approaching death after brutal treatment from King John. Can she shake the iron grip of history?
If you’re still harboring a crush on Jamie, step through time with these top 50 books like Outlander and start falling for your next book boyfriend.
See also: Top 50 Books Like Game of Thrones
