The Boston Marriage

A tribute to roommates and best friends

J.L.M.

Mar 01, 2025

CW: Very brief reference to self-harm in the Early Romance section.

Perhaps you have heard the term Boston Marriage before. If not, no—it is not a frigid union between two WASPy scions, nor is it a Ben Affleck film set in Southie. The term actually refers to lesbian couples who lived together long-term. They were of independent means and often held jobs. Not exactly groundbreaking in 2025, nor, amazingly, was it in 1850 when the term originated.

As the historical romance genre becomes more inclusive of different voices and perspectives, it introduces readers to new cultures and subcultures throughout history. The growing Sapphic Romance genre is a testament to readers' hunger for these untapped stories and settings. Some might call this “romance gone woke.” To that, I would say: wrong. Read some history. (Like and subscribe!)

The Boston Marriage is a fascinating term that encapsulates a unique aspect of Victorian society—one that I am very excited to see pop up in romance novels (though not always by name). It can be difficult to satisfy the necessary Happily Ever After when a novel is set in a time period hostile to same-sex relationships. This makes the Boston Marriage all the more ripe for historical romance.

History of the Boston Marriage

The term Boston Marriage unsurprisingly originated in New England during the Victorian period. For my non-American readers, the term Victorian period is often used to describe the same time frame in American history. During this era, American culture, especially in New England, closely mirrored that of England.

Of course, many such relationships predate the term itself. But it was during this period that the presence of these relationships became highly visible in society and literature. There are two potential sources for the phrase: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1849 novella Kavanagh or Henry James’ 1886 novel The Bostonians.1 Yes, I’m sorry to say that the term is attributed to a man. Neither actually used the term Boston Marriage, but both were among the earliest depictions of lesbianism in American fiction. The two authors ran in the same circles, which included several real-life Boston Marriages. Perhaps the most famous were Annie Fields and her partner, Sarah Orne Jewett.

Why Boston?

Boston was (and still is) an academic hub of the United States, home to many colleges and universities in the city and neighboring Cambridge. Ever heard of a small college outside of Boston? The Boston Marriage was closely tied to the idea of the New Woman, a term for autonomous and intellectual women also popularized by Henry James. (Little know fact, intellectual women did not actually exist before Henry James invented them.) These women were highly educated, often holding advanced degrees. As a university town, Boston naturally attracted many educated and professional women, creating a concentrated community where such relationships flourished.

Was this socially acceptable?

In a word: yes. Due to the prevailing Victorian belief that women were completely lacking in libido, intimate female friendships were not only accepted but encouraged. While the term Boston Marriage did not seem to travel back to the Old World, similar relationships were widely accepted in England. Speaking about these relationships in Normal Women, Philippa Gregory writes:

"Elite women who made lifetime loving attachments to female partners continued to be well regarded in society and could socialize as a recognized couple without scandal about their sexuality. They kept silent about their private intimacy and generally escaped comment, since they were ladies who were expected to lack sexual desire."

As long as the sexual nature of these relationships remained behind closed doors, Boston Marriages were widely accepted. Women sometimes even publicly referred to their partners as “husband” or “wife.”

Early Sapphic Historical Romance

The first lesbian romance novel is somewhat contested. Like most early romance novels, the line between women’s fiction with romantic elements and a true romance novel was often blurred. Sarah H. Ficke highlights this in her essay The Historical Romance:

“The stories primarily about gay and lesbian relationships in historical settings that did appear throughout the twentieth century were notorious for their unhappy, or at least unsatisfying endings.”

Some argue that The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, published in 1952, was the first lesbian romance novel. Though not historical, it helps set the timeline. However, the Happily Ever After (HEA) is debatable, as one heroine must sacrifice her relationship with her daughter to stay with her lover. Highsmith herself defended the HEA by pointing out that neither heroine committed suicide… okay.2 Pretty low bar.

The first romance novel with an undisputed HEA that overtly depicts a Boston Marriage is Patience and Sarah (originally A Place for Us) by Isabel Miller, written in 1969.3 Though Miller didn’t set out to write a romance novel, she was inspired by a real-life couple whose story did end happily. The novel is based on the lives of the painter Mary Anne Wilson and her companion Miss Brundage, set in 19th-century Upstate New York. Originally self-published, as was common for early sapphic romances, it was later picked up by a publisher and received the first Stonewall Book Award in 1971.

Michelle Martin, however, deliberately set out to write a queer Regency romance novel inspired by Georgette Heyer. Pembroke Park was also self-published in 1986. (This novel currently retails for $50-$60 on the secondhand market if any romance patrons would like to sponsor a copy.)

“The arrogant lords and charming misses who populated Georgette Heyer’s Regency world may still dominate fictional British ballrooms, but they have been joined in the historical romance genre by vibrant suffragettes, Jewish con artists, gender-queer dukes, formerly enslaved businessmen, disillusioned cowboys, disabled soldiers, gun-running revolutionaries, brilliant inventors, pragmatic courtesans, entrepreneurs, spies, lesbian bootleggers, God-fearing ministers, and many, many other characters that highlight the breadth and depth of human experience”.

—Sarah H Ficke, The Historical Romance

Contemporary Sapphic Historical Romance

(Bit of a mouth full.)

Historical sapphic novels are seeing a rise in popularity, and consequently, the Big Five are taking notice. While self-publishing remains a valuable avenue for queer romance authors, it is exciting to see novels receive the full support of large publishers. One such book receiving the Harlequin treatment is An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera. This novel is a celebration and exploration of sapphic subculture in Paris during the 1889 World Exposition. Herrera conducted in-depth research into the lives of real queer women, resulting in fully realized characters. It also explores the liminality of queer existence in the 19th century—both visible and hidden. The result is a beautiful love story with an amazing cast of supporting characters, bringing these women’s full lives vividly to the page.