Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

“Marianne Findlay lives next door to the Earl of Latteridge’s York townhouse.
Though she has never met him, it was his mother who sealed her fate years before–and drove her from polite society. Now she and Aunt Effie take in boarders and live a modest life, which is soon disrupted by the handsome earl, his scapegrace younger brother, his charming and determined sister–and that vengeful mother of his.”

Dear Ms. Matthews,

I first noticed this book at Belgrave House and loved the cover. Then I started to look for a print copy (this was in the days before I had my Ipaq and could easily read ebooks on it) and was confused since the OOP Signet edition makes it look like a Regency. WTF? The people at Belgrave did you much better than the idjuts art department at Signet.

Marianne Findlay was once friends with the Earl of Latteridge’s sister but that relationship along with Marianne’s place in Polite Society was ended by an incident over which she had no control. Now she and her aunt live quietly in York. At least until she meets the next generation of the Latteridges and gets pulled into their lives. …

Dear Ms. Matthews,

I don’t know whose idea it was to post this novella for free at Belgrave House publishing, but it’s a great one. As my blogging partner Jane posted, it will showcase your writing for new readers and reward faithful fans at the same time.

Drucilla Carruthers might be young but she’s been in charge of her family’s estate for years ever since her father finally lost his grasp on reality. His deep grief over her mother’s death colored Drucilla’s childhood and she’s grown up more quickly than most young Regency girls. Her commitment to her father’s tenants has lead her to conceal his condition and try her best to rectify the dreadful condition the estate sunk to after a previous steward lined his own pockets instead of working to better it. But the extensive outlay of capital has finally brought the situation to the attention of her father’s heir and her cousin, Julian Winslow, Lord Meacham. Now he’s arriving at any minute and Drucilla can only hope he’s not the same stuffy prig he was when she last met him 16 years ago. But then she was only 5 and he …

Dear Ms. Matthews:

I am writing this letter today because I fear that the readership believes that I am a suspense thriller junkie who only likes boring police procedure stories interrupted by bouts of hot sex. I mean, yeah, that is me, but I also like to mix things up a bit. You are a traditional regency writer. If you were being published today . . . Well, I guess that’s a silly thing to say because you wouldn’t be published today because you do write traditional regencies but I think there is a readership out there today so I am thankful for Belgrave House for reissuing your books in ebook format.

A Curious Courtship is set in Leicestershire, Quorn(hunting) country. Mr. Gareth Rushton is visiting his good friend, Sir Penrith Southwood. It’s important for me to note that until I started reading these older traditional Regencies, outside of a Heyer book, I hadn’t seen a mere mister be cast as a hero. It goes to show that it doesn’t matter what title you give a man. Mr. Rushton comes from a distinguished background and from one of the …

Dear Ms. Matthews,

With the seeming demise of the printed trad regency, I worried about how I’d get my regency fix. Thank goodness for ebooks and an opportunity to read older treasures.

“Widowed Vanessa Damery had two young children to raise, a deteriorating estate to improve, and a household full of pseudo-relatives and dependents to placate. She did not need the advent of her late husband’s cousin (and her co-trustee in his estate). And if Lord Alvescot expected gratitude for his interference, well, he’d have to look elsewhere!”

I’ve no idea when it was originally published but it’s now available as an ebook at Belgrave.com. I’ve never read a bad book by you and I’ve found that you’re a good author for delivering a charming, quieter style but very period regency. Nothing is too highly exaggerated and I’m left with a good feeling when I finish them. But readers wanting more Sturm und Drang, a feisty heroine, or modern language might need to look elsewhere.

Vanessa is a delightful heroine just trying to improve her son’s estate, raise her children and deal with a pack of relatives who’ve set up housekeeping there. She …