Historical fiction with female protagonist

I'm looking for books for a temporarily bedridden relative. She wants to read something that is not set in present day and the protagonist has to be a female, preferably some forbidden/unhappy/obsessive love, no science fiction, preferably no happy ending. She said it has to be either far away (we're in Northern Europe) or at least a long time ago.

I gave her The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and she did not like it (particularly the ww2 setting). She enjoyed Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and I have no more ideas what to give her next. Any suggestions?