Regency England

Tuesday Midday News: A real voucher from Almack’s, another Macmillan publisher goes DRM free,

Tuesday Midday News: A real voucher from Almack’s, another Macmillan publisher goes DRM free,

Voucher to Almack’s | Flickr – Photo Sharing! – “Voucher to Almack’s It was the hottest A-list invitation sought after by Regency society: A voucher (or ticket of admission) to a ball at Almack’s assembly rooms in London. Only society’s elite were granted these coveted passes. To be stricken from the list was social disaster.(…)

REVIEW:  Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney

REVIEW: Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney

Dear Ms. Putney, I was a big fan of your books in the 1990s. They came along at a time when I had not read anything like them. If the characters made mistakes or committed wrongs, your books actually examined the of the characters’ motives for doing so in some depth. And your characters actually(…)

REVIEW:  Blame it on Bath by Caroline  Linden

REVIEW: Blame it on Bath by Caroline Linden

Dear Ms. Linden: Before I get too far into this review, I want to say right up front that I found Blame it on Bath quite likeable. I do so because the series that includes this book – The Truth about the Duke – is based on a legal issue that, even to my limited(…)

REVIEW: Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville

REVIEW: Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville

Dear Ms. Neville, I should probably preface this review by saying that I’ve chatted with you on Twitter and what I know of you, I really like. Ever since they met in The Dangerous Viscount, book two of your Burgundy Book Club series, I’ve wanted to see Minerva Montrose and the Marquis of Blakeney (known(…)

REVIEW: A Promise of Spring by Mary Balogh

REVIEW: A Promise of Spring by Mary Balogh

The following review contains SPOILERS. The spoilers from late in the book are hidden, but others are visible. If you have never read A Promise of Spring and prefer to avoid spoilers, read this review at your own risk. Dear Ms. Balogh, A Promise of Spring, now being reprinted in a 2-in-1 volume with The(…)

REVIEW: Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash

REVIEW: Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash

Dear Ms. Nash: So. I’m thinking that I’m not quite the right reader for your books. “Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea” is meant to be a comedy, a piece of frivolity. It’s a tale of frippery, if I can borrow a period phrase. There is nothing wrong with frippery but sometimes it(…)

REVIEW: The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh

REVIEW: The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh

Dear Ms. Balogh, I first read The Temporary Wife, one of your most beloved trad regencies, several years ago. At the time, I liked it but was distracted by an initial similarity to another of your regencies, The Ideal Wife, which I had read first and liked even better. The opening premises of the two(…)

REVIEW: A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

REVIEW: A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean

Dear Ms. MacLean: This is the first of your books I’ve read, and it’s the first in quite a while that I’ve considered applying the mistorical tag to. Given the muddled nature of Regency history in Romance, as well as my insecurity regarding how much I really know that’s true about the period, I decided(…)

REVIEW: The Revenge of Lord Eberlin by Julia London

REVIEW: The Revenge of Lord Eberlin by Julia London

Dear Ms. London— I really enjoyed your latest novel, The Revenge of Lord Eberlin. Recently, thanks to the many thoughtful and well-written reviews here at Dear Author, I’ve been reading books out of what I think of as my comfort zone. And it’s been great. I loved Heat, disliked Beautiful Disaster, and am reading my first(…)

REVIEW: Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel

REVIEW: Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel

Dear Ms. Jewel, I loved your 2009 book, Scandal, and very much enjoyed Indiscreet, which came out later the same year. So when I learned that you were publishing a new historical called Not Wicked Enough I got excited, and asked Jane if she could send me the ARC. Having now read it, I have(…)

REVIEW: The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

REVIEW: The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

Dear Ms Willig, I always seem to be behind in keeping up with this series but I think it’s because I want to be sure I have a Pink Carnation book on hand. And in this instance it worked beautifully for me. You see, I’ve been in a reading slump for it seems like ages(…)

REVIEW: Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer

REVIEW: Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer

Dear Readers, When I reviewed The Nonesuch a few months ago during Sourcebooks’ summer Heyer sale, I mentioned in passing that I really wanted to review Sprig Muslin, but it hadn’t been digitized yet. Now it is, so as promised, here’s a review. This book wasn’t in my Top 10 Heyer Regencies during the first decade(…)

REVIEW: Mad About the Earl by Christina Brooke

REVIEW: Mad About the Earl by Christina Brooke

Dear Ms. Brooke (aka Christine Wells): I didn’t pick up the first title in this series. I think I was put off by the concept of the Ministry of Marriage (although that’s probably why the series was bought by the publisher).  The Ministry of Marriage (and the fact that is has a name) is this(…)

REVIEW: An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson

REVIEW: An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson

Dear Ms. Johnson, I haven’t read too many regencies lately because they were all beginning to smear together in a Duke/spy/fiesty heroine filled blur. I had Regency ennui. When I started this book, I kind of got the feeling that it was part of a series but nonetheless, I took the plunge and dove in.(…)

Thursday News: BN Is Selling Off Assets, Trad Regency Book Deals

Thursday News: BN Is Selling Off Assets, Trad Regency Book Deals

I’m not certain what this means, but it is possible that the privately held BN is trying to leverage its different components into another sale.  First, it is actively seeking to sell Sterling, it’s print publishing arm.  Today’s press release also touts some great Nook numbers and the announcement that it will explore the benefits(…)