Historical Romance?

It has always been a dream of mine to write a historical romance novel. Exactly which era, I've never been sure. While the Regency era is very popular, I am tempted by a slightly earlier time. The reign of George III. A Georgian novel would promise all the chemises and stays a girl could ask for. That said, this is not the only era that interests me. What about the First World War? It's so close to the present day and yet so far away. I find it fascinating.

How does one pick an era for a romance novel? I suppose the key is to start with story. To find a story so deeply embedded in its time period that the era can only be that era.

As I write this, I am thinking about a story set in the inter-war period (1918-1939). It's about the damage caused by the First World War and the looming shadow of the Second World War. The story – a story of lost love – could only take place in inter-war England. Why don't I just write that?

I have lots of history books that cover the twentieth century. I could read up about the Wars and the brief period of uneasy peace that lay between them. Writing something set in the twentieth century is easier for me (someone from the twentieth century), as the language comes more naturally than the English of George III's time.

It would mean giving up the chemises and stays. It would mean that the love interest is unlikely to be a duke. Those are fairly sad prospects to ponder. Am I just playing it safe? If I waited awhile, could I dream up a story that's anchored to Georgian England instead?

I haven't come up with any firm answers, just more questions. That's okay. There is plenty to consider at the very beginning of a novel-writing project.