Regency England

CONVERSATIONAL REVIEW: Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel

PLEASE NOTE: this conversational review does contain some spoilers. Jennie: I was one of many readers mightily impressed with Carolyn Jewel’s previous historical romance Scandal, which I read in January and graded an A-. Janine: Totally with you on that. Scandal was one of the most impressive books I’ve read this year, and it’s stuck(…)

REVIEW: A Most Lamentable Comedy by Janet Mullany

REVIEW: A Most Lamentable Comedy by Janet Mullany

Dear Ms. Mullany, Two years ago I feel in love with “The Rules of Gentility.” Its first person spoofing of the Rules of Writing a Regency Romance had me in stitches. When Janine mentioned that you were going to have a sequel to it published this summer, I rubbed my hands with glee. Deep in(…)

REVIEW: Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel

REVIEW: Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel

Dear Ms. Jewel: When I met you recently, I had to sheepishly admit that I had not yet read any of your books. So I volunteered to review your new release Indiscreet, relishing the added bonus that it was a Regency set in Turkey. Despite all of the stereotypical sheikh novels and the often fetishized(…)

REVIEW: Lost in Almack’s by Lesley-Anne McLeod

REVIEW: Lost in Almack’s by Lesley-Anne McLeod

Dear Ms. McLeod, You’ve never let me down with any of the past novellas of yours I’ve read and you don’t do it this time either. I confess that I was slightly dismayed at the length of the story which formatted to 20 pages on my reader. She’s going to get two people together that(…)

REVIEW: How to Woo a Spinster by Kasey Michaels

REVIEW: How to Woo a Spinster by Kasey Michaels

Dear Ms. Michaels, When I was checking out the new offerings from Harlequin, I saw your name and popped the book in my ecart without looking too closely at it. So, when I opened it up on my reader, I was dismayed to see that this is obviously a novella. Now, novellas can work for(…)

REVIEW: The Viscount’s Kiss by Margaret Moore

Dear Mrs. Moore, After I had read “A Lover’s Kiss,” I fell in love with the secondary character of Lord “Buggy” Bromwell, friend to the hero of that book and the ones that preceded it. So when I checked out the August Harlequin Historical releases and realized that this was Buggy’s book, I pounced. Justinian(…)

REVIEW: Since the Surrender by Julie Anne Long

Dear Ms. Long: I took a small break from reading your books, albeit unintentionally, a couple of years ago. I think once a reader falls off the bandwagon of an author, you start hesitating to start reading her again, believing that you must have stopped for a very good reason. My reason for stopping, though,(…)

REVIEW: Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare

Dear Ms. Dare: I would not have read this book had it not been for the April Fool’s Day joke that led to my getting a copy of Legend of a Werestag in my inbox. Legend of a Werestag is a novella you published through Samhain and your writing in that novella made me hungry(…)

REVIEW: Wicked Little Game by Christine Wells

Dear Ms. Wells: This book was described to me as Indecent Proposal meets White’s but it really is an inspection of the meaning of love. Marquess of Vane has wanted Lady Sarah Cole for years. He met her too late, though, because she was married to Brinsley Cole at the time. Sarah’s marriage was falling(…)

REVIEW: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

Dear Ms. Quinn: Confession time. I don’t remember much about The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever.   I vaguely remember Olivia, best friend of Miranda, younger sister of the hero but her flavor wasn’t with me when I started What Happens in London. I don’t know if that is good or bad but I highly(…)

Contest, contest, contest!

Contest, contest, contest!

And we all love that, right? This is for one copy of Jennifer Mueller’s latest book, “A Ruined Season,” a charming Regency with a non nobleman hero. Yes, Virginia, such books do exist! Just leave a comment here by the end of Saturday, June 27th at midnight EST to be eligible. Edited to add: Sorry(…)

REVIEW: A Ruined Season by Jennifer Mueller

Dear Mrs. Mueller, To begin, congratulations on your first print book. I liked the different “Impressionistic” cover. Your publisher did very well by you but I must say that I hope a less expensive, paperback edition will eventually be available for readers in the US. Two years ago, The Honorable Miss Sophie Greenwood had just(…)

REVIEW: Tempted by His Kiss by Tracy Ann Warren

Dear Ms. Warren: It’s been a while since I’ve read a book of yours. I know I read your debut books that were released back to back but for some reason, I fell off the bandwagon. I was curious about what your move to Avon would produce and so picked up and read In His(…)

REVIEW: The Surgeon’s Lady by Carla Kelly

REVIEW: The Surgeon’s Lady by Carla Kelly

Dear Mrs. Kelly, I’ve been a fan of yours for years. Back “in the day” when the traditional Regency still ruled and I could look forward to a book a year from your pen – or typewriter or hard drive – I was living the good life. But then came the bad years, the years(…)

REVIEW: A Dead Bore by Sheri Cobb South

REVIEW: A Dead Bore by Sheri Cobb South

Dear Mrs. Cobb South, I love that you’re working to get your books released in ebook format and hope that this series will eventually be available electronically. It deserves a wider audience than I’m afraid it’s going to get as hardcover releases from a small press. “A Dead Bore” refers to the first victim in(…)