Joan Wolf

Joan Wolf (born 1951) is an American author of Regency romances and historical novels, whose writing career began in 1980. She was born in the Bronx, New York, and grew up there.

Wolf won a full scholarship to Mercy College, where she took her bachelor's degree, and then earned a master's degree in English and comparative literature at Hunter College. She taught English at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx before writing full time. Her first novels, A Kind of Honor and The Counterfeit Marriage, both appeared in 1980, and she went on to write many Regency romances, including His Lordship's Mistress (1982), The Rebellious Ward (1984) and Fool's Masquerade (1984). Beyond the Regency she wrote historical series set in Dark Ages Britain (The Road to Avalon, Born of the Sun, The Edge of Light), prehistoric Europe (Daughter of the Red Deer, The Horsemasters, The Reindeer Hunters) and the biblical world (A Reluctant Queen, This Scarlet Cord, Daughter of Jerusalem), as well as a pair of medieval mysteries, No Dark Place and The Poisoned Serpent. She has also contributed to anthologies with authors including Mary Balogh. Her Open Library biography describes her as a USA Today bestselling author, notes that some of her books were Literary Guild selections, and says she is a keen rider and horse owner living in Connecticut.

For collectors

Open Library lists a 1980 New American Library edition of The Counterfeit Marriage, editions from J. Curley & Associates (1980 and 1982) and a 1990 reissue in the Signet Regency Romance line, so copies dated 1990 are later printings. Her Dark Ages and prehistoric novels were published by Dutton between 1988 and 1994.