The aim of the study is to analyze reader’s perspective on the gender system of the historical romance genre. Three novels, Outlander, Devil in Winter and The Duke and I are chosen based on their popularity among readers to represent the genre. The study uses the methods qualitative text analysis of the named novels and directed content analysis on readers’ reviews of the same novels. The qualitative text analysis shows that although the settings in the novels are mostly gender traditional the actions of the hero and heroine aren’t confined to their gender stereotypes. The directed content analysis shows that readers like the traditional settings in the novels but also appreciate when the hero and the heroine defy gender stereotypes, for example when the emotional hero is saved by a strong heroine, and readers dislike when hero or heroine is too dominant or controlling.