1. JANE EYRE Charlotte Brontë

Orphaned Jane has a tough start in life, raised by her cruel aunt and treated brutally at Lowood Instituion. She escapes to become a governess at the home of the brooding Mr Rochester. They fall in love, but there’s a bar to their happiness, hidden away. And the reveal is the highlight of one of the most gothic of romances, with an unforgettable heroine.