The Housemaid Heroine is a rare creature in romance, probably because domestic drudgery isn’t very romantic, especially historical domestic drudgery. Romance and chamber pots just don’t match. However there are some perks to this scenario (provided some other anonymous maid gets the worst chores), as I discovered when writing The Tattooed Duke.
My housemaid heroine, Miss Eliza Fielding, is actually a Writing Girl in disguise as a servant in the scandalous household of the shocking Duke of Wycliff, aka The Tattooed Duke. After all, what better way to unearth all of his secrets? Exactly.
As long as the domestic drudgery isn’t too detailed, I think heroes and heroines as household help can make for delicious novels. Here’s a list of my favorites:
- Cinderella pre-makeover
Cinderella: The original housemaid heroine who has launched a thousand variations on the plot of her story.
Pamela: Another classic housemaid heroine. She nobly resists ravishment by the Lord of the Manor until, inspired by her virtue, he reforms and marries her. Published in 1740, it is one of the early runaway bestsellers, even spawning hysterical imitations and satires like Shamela (in which the maid pretends to be virtuous, marries the Lord of the Manor for his money and carries on an affair with the parson. Naturally. As one does.)
An Offer From A Gentleman: Julia Quinn’s delightful take on the Cinderalla story featuring one of the beloved Bridgerton blokes.
The Tattooed Duke: Yeah, I’m plugging my own book. The husband likes to think all my books are about him. For example, The Tattooed Duke features a hero who sails around the world (The Husband has done just that) and the woman who cleans for him and who is also a writer (Me, grumbling).
- Farm boy! Fetch me that pitcher!
The Runaway Duke: For once it’s the hero who is workin’ it in this novel by Julie Anne Long. Of course, he’s not actually a footman, but a duke in disguise. Naturally 
The Princess Bride: Does it get any better than “Farm Boy” and “As you wish”? Methinks not. And you know how it’s the greatest movie of all time? Well, the book is even better.
Can you think of any other stories featuring heroes and heroines as household helpers?
9 Responses to Romancing “The Help”
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About The Authoress
A romance novelist explores how to be a heroine in real life.
Coming Soon! The Tattooed Duke
“The Heir” by Grace Burrowes comes to mind. Our heroine is the housekeeper. On the run, of course, with her little sister as a chambermaid. The whole Governess Brides series from Christina Dodd–they aren’t doing household work but they are part of the staff. “The Bed and the Bachelor” by Tracy Anne Warren–heroine again is the housekeeper, this time being blackmailed by the French to steal the hero’s decoding key.
Great list! Speaking of governesses, there’s also Miranda Neville’s book The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton and another early JQ book. Governess heroines might be a whole ‘nother blog post!
Deception by Amanda Quick, he’s a “tutor” (a viscount undercover of course! lol)
Gotta love all these aristo’s undercover! If it’s not as a footman or tutor, it’s a spy or something else. As if they didn’t have enough to do!
I don’t think I’ve seen The Princess Bride. I think I saw part of it in 5th grade and wasn’t impressed, but it is likely time to give it another try.
I really like that you included Pamela and Shamela on this list! Yea for classic lit!
Haven’t seen The Princess Bride?!?! Definitely check it out. And thank you for sharing my joy in Pamela and Shamela! Do you have a preference?
Deeanne Gist’s “Maid to Match” is a historical romance set in 1890s Biltmore, and the heroine is a housemaid and the hero is a footman. And oldie but goodie is Miriam Michelson’s “The Yellow Journalist” (1905), where the heroine–an investigative journalist–spends a chapter masquerading as a servant to infiltrate a California household where an evil man drugs his sister and terrorizes his nieces in order to control their fortune.
I can only think of one at the moment and it’s Kat Martin’s “The Bride’s Necklace.” The heroine is a housekeeper, but she is of noble birth.
[...] of Housemaid Heroines and the books they star in…here’s a snippet from The Tattooed [...]