Tag: Historical Romance Page 1 of 51

Strange Doings Back Home

On February 7, 2026

December 1816

Wheatton Village, Wiltshire

My dearest Maudie,

I’m writing to tell you our papa has overcome the Fever he suffered. You don’t need to travel home, the roads being unpleasant this time of year, and you so far up north. My Edward continues to managing the drapery with the old man ill. While I shudder to be blunt, the business prospers under his care, no matter what you might have heard from Papa who, as I’ve written is becoming queer in his old age.

You ask for such village news as it is, and I’m happy to send it. Mrs. Mckinny and old Eunice Martin quarreled over church flowers as always, especially this time of year. That solicitor who moved here after you left is stepping out with Eunice Martin’s daughter. The Martin’s are preening even though that boy of theirs got sent down from the fancy school they sent him too.

Squire Archer’s nephew, a decent enough lad, has been hired as the steward up at the big house—yes, Murnane House—and him barely past twenty. I heard it was the Wheatly woman that recommended him, she that was the vicar’s daughter’s by-blow that Lord Arthur took in. A less feminine creature I never met. Imagine the earl listening to a woman like that about something as important as hiring a steward.

Oh. About the earl. The duchess’s brother the Earl of Chadbourn has been seeing to the Murnane estate now the Duke is dead, the duchess being a flutter brain. He’s the boy’s guardian. Making Johnny Archer a steward isn’t the oddest thing he’s done. Here’s the most interesting news. The Wheatlys over at Songbird Cottage have been visiting at the big house. Do you remember that ever happening before? I don’t. The old duke and the most recent one never allowed it. After all, when the vicar’s daughter disappeared and came back with a child, the old man had conniptions. Forbade his sons to have anything to do with her. Disgrace he called it and all of Wheatton knew it What did Lord Arthur do but up and marry the woman. Th’old duke called it a disgrace. Now they’re up at Murnane House for dinner as bold as you please. No good can come of that!

Papa says to tell you he’s dying. I send you his words and suggest you ignore him. No point you trekking all the way here from Yorkshire and bunking in with Ed and I. We have little enough room with Papa underfoot.

Will write again when there is news

Your sister,

Esther

About the Book

Family Honor, Book One Honor at Heart

Two passions rule Will Landrum’s life: family and a devotion to the land and those who depend on it. The only benefit of being Earl of Chadbourn that matters to him is the right to care for those things. Carrying family burdens can be lonely, however, without a life partner.

Catherine Wheatly’s mother married her beloved Papa when Cath was ten. Her dubious background has kept her single. No one ever had to explain to Cath that base-born daughters have few marriage prospects. She knew. She contented herself being the best land steward in the county, helping Papa with his research, and raising her two brothers.

Trapped by his brother-in-law’s death into responsibility for his traumatized nephew, grieving sister, and an estate gone to ruin, loneliness overwhelms Will. The first rate husbandry of a neighboring farm and Catherine, who runs it, draw him like a moth to a flame. Her background means nothing to him, especially when he learns what his family has done. With Christmas coming, can he repair the damaged estate and far more damaged family? Dare he hope for love in the bargain?

This new edition of A Dangerous Nativity, fully edited and updated, with a new epilogue launches March 24, 2026. It is available for pre-order now.

Preorder from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Family-Honor-at-Heart-ebook/dp/B0GKHVMTJY

OR various other retailers: https://books2read.com/u/3JdJwQ

About the Author

Caroline Warfield – Authorr

Award winning author, Caroline Warfield, grew up in a peripatetic army family, and the need to travel never left her. After a varied career (largely around libraries and technology) she retired to the urban wilds of eastern Pennsylvania to be closer to family and to write. She remains a traveler and adventurer, enamored of owls, books, history, and beautiful gardens (but not the act of gardening). She writes family centered, emotionally rich, sensual stories set in the Regency and Victorian periods.

Find Caroline on the Web:
Website http://www.carolinewarfield.com/
Amazon Author http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/
Good Reads http://bit.ly/1C5blTm
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/WarfieldFellowTravelers
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caroline-warfield
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Two Return… One Coincidence?

By Alina K. Field

On January 28, 2026

In Teatime Tattler

And a shared legacy neither ever wanted.

Dearest readers, sharpen your quills, steady your teacups, and prepare yourselves for what may very well become the most discussed coincidence of the new year.

After five years abroad, Alexander Weld, Earl of Hawkesbury, has returned to Somerset under the somber veil of duty. The late Earl, his father, was laid to rest last week in a ceremony both dignified and discreet. Those present report that Lord Hawkesbury conducted himself with composure befitting his station, though there was a gravity about him that spoke of burdens carried beyond grief alone.

And yet, here is where the matter becomes irresistible.

On that very same week, and in the very same corner of the county, another familiar figure made her reappearance: Lady Georgina Ravenstock, widow of the late Baron Ravenstock, who suffered a fatal accident just over a year ago.

Lady Georgina, known for her grace, steady composure, and impeccable poise, returned to Somerset supposedly to “tend to household affairs.” Such a practical explanation might satisfy a less inquisitive publication… but we at the Tattler have noticed patterns too precise to ignore.

For instance:

The First Pattern:

Lady Georgina and Lord Hawkesbury were once, how shall we phrase it? frequently observed in each other’s company prior to the Earl’s extended absence. One might even describe their former connection as promising, had fate not intervened in its usual inconvenient fashion.

The Second Pattern:

Upon her return, Lady Georgina has been seen meeting with solicitors, land agents, and senior stewards at an unusual rate. One might assume she is simply reacquainting herself with her late husband’s affairs… yet the frequency of these consultations suggests matters more pressing than routine ledgers.

The Third Pattern:

Lord Hawkesbury, according to our reliable source at the estate, has likewise been engaged in a flurry of meetings, most notably with individuals not typically summoned for mourning rituals or estate condolences. His steward has been tight-lipped, which is always the clearest indication that something is indeed afoot.

Now here is the detail that sends this reporter into raptures:

Several of these agents and advisors, Lady Georgina’s and Lord Hawkesbury’s alike, have been the very same individuals, met on the very same days, sometimes even within the same hour.

Coincidence? We leave that to you, dear readers.

Could there exist a business matter, a legal entanglement, perhaps, that binds these two prominent figures in an unexpected and undeniably delicate way? Might their futures (and fortunes!) now be more intertwined than either one anticipated?

Those who witnessed their reunion at the churchyard whispered that the air between them was… charged. Not with impropriety, no, our Lady Georgina would never allow such a thing, but with something older. Something unfinished. Something neither grief nor time seems to have erased.

What business could require such coordinated attention?

What matter could draw these two back into the same orbit after so many years apart?

And, most deliciously of all:

What happens when a shared responsibility forces two hearts, with history, to navigate a future neither expected?

Rest assured, readers, the Tattler shall continue watching. Closely.

Yours in perpetual vigilance,

A Lady Who Never Sleeps

What happens when an earl and a widow discover they must face the past—together?

Find out in:

A Reckoning for the Earl

Some legacies must be claimed. Others survived.

Alexander Weld, grieving the loss of his wife, joins the army and returns home five years later as the new Earl of Hawkesbury. He is confronted with unrest among his father’s coal miners and seeks the help of his former commanding officer, Captain Barrington. In the midst of this, he reconnects with Lady Georgina Ravenstock, an old friend, and is drawn to her beauty and charm. Lady Georgina also feels a rekindled attraction to Weld and decides to spend the summer with him in Sommer by the Sea.

As their friendship grows, they hesitate to pursue a deeper relationship out of respect for their deceased loved ones. Weld works to improve conditions for the coal miners, and during an inspection of the mines, Lady Georgina misunderstands a warning bell and rushes to the scene, fearing an accident. Weld races to her side to keep her safe and discovers her misunderstanding. Weld and Lady Georgina must confront their feelings and decide whether to hold onto the past or take a chance on a new love.

Through their struggles, will they find hope and a future together? What happens when an earl and a widow discover they must face the past—together?

Find out in: A Reckoning for the Earl.

https://books2read.com/u/mZygG5

#HistoricalRomance #RegencyRomance #BarringtonsBrigade

Meet the Author
Ruth A. Casie is a USA Today bestselling author who writes sweeping historical romance adventures. From the rugged shores of medieval Scotland to the bustling streets of Regency London, her stories blend suspense, drama, and heart-melting emotion. Readers fall in love with her strong women and the heroes who deserve them as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. Ruth hopes her tales become your next favorite adventures.

Where to Find Ruth

Website: https://ruthacasie.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthacasie/

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A Fashionable Tulip Enters the Lists

By Alina K. Field

On January 14, 2026

In Teatime Tattler

Dear Readers,

I hope you are ready for another romantic tidbit!

Dear Mr. Clemens,

The season’s Incomparable has made yet another conquest!

Mr. H, the fashionable Tulip, has recently entered the lists for the most sought-after maiden’s hand but, not content with merely dancing and driving with the divine young lady, has gone so far as to enlist the aid of a friend’s mother and sister in instructing him in the delicate art of romance.

Indeed, Mr. H, always impeccably turned out in the latest mode, has been known to visit his preceptresses almost oftener than he has been driving the Incomparable—which may lead one to suspect his motives in that house. Ought his friend—who is rumored to be something of a watch-dog—to be concerned? For rumor has it that Mr. H, in the past, has not been altogether indifferent to the rather pretty sister.

Hearts in Bloom: A Regency Anthology

By Judith Hale Everett, Rosanne E. Lortz, GL Robinson, K. Lyn Smith, Caroline Warfield

A spring anthology brimming with all the hope, heartache, and thrill of first love. Mysterious admirers, magical talismans, spirited matchmakers, and a bit of creative persistence overcome the obstacles to true love, no matter how daunting!

Story Featured:

The Valentine Adviser, by Rosanne E. Lortz

To woo a young lady under the nose of her overprotective older brother, her admirer must pretend he only wishes to seek her advice on courting the season’s Incomparable.

Universal pre-order link: https://mybook.to/heartsinbloom

About the Author

Rosanne E. Lortz (“Rose”) is a writer, editor, teacher, history-lover, and mom to four boys. She writes traditional Regency romance with humour and heart. Visit her website: https://rosannelortz.com/

Soldier’s wife a credit to English womanhood

By Bluestocking Belles

On December 12, 2025

In Jude Knight, Teatime Tattler

If it sometimes seems that The Teatime Tattler has nothing but scandal and bad news, then do not blame us, dear reader. Such stories are sadly plentiful. But every now and then a story comes across our desk that touches even our calloused hearts, and that reassures us that courage, perseverance and loyalty still exist in this war-weary world.

Such is the story of Maggie Parker and her children. Picture, if you will, the daughter of one of our brave soldiers, a sergeant, who died in the service of God and his country. Maggie, a good and modest girl for all that she had been raised by her father in the army’s train, was told to choose a husband. And quite right, too, dear reader. The army is no place for a virtuous single girl with neither father nor husband.

Dear reader, Maggie was fortunate. There was a corporal she liked, a William Parker, and he like her, and so they were married, and for a time they were blissfully happy, even in the midst of war. Their son was born, and named for his father, and little Billy grew and prospered. Never was a little family so content.

But war is a dreadful thing, and when the French were driven from Spain and Will’s regiment were given their orders to march after them and end the long war, Billy had one of those childhood illnesses that are short duration but terrifying to parents. Maggie, who was also ill as her second confinement approached, remained behind.

And that, dear reader, was the last this gallant lady heard of her dear husband.

By the time she, her son, and her new daughter were well enough to follow him to France, the peace had been signed, his regiment had been sent elsewhere, and nobody could – or, perhaps, would – tell her whether Corporal William Parker was still in the land of the living.

Maggie returned to Spain, and worked to save money to travel to England, where she hoped to find Will’s mother. A determined woman can conquer mountains, and Maggie made it to England, but on the way she found a difficulty. Parker is a common name, and the only thing she knew about Mrs. Parker’s address was the name of the village. Ashton. How many villages are there in England with the name Ashton? Twenty or more, spread across the land.

But that did not deter Maggie Parker. She arrived in Portsmouth, purchased a wheelbarrow, set her baggage and her son in it, strapped her daughter to her back, and set off to find her mother-in-law.

Spare a thought for this gallant woman, the flower of English womanhood, marching the roads of England with all the determination of a conquering army.

Dear reader, I am certain you join with all of us at The Teatime Tattler in wishing her God Speed, and a Happy Ending.

***

Maggie’s Wheelbarrow in Merry Belles

A year ago, Maggie’s husband marched out of Spain with his regiment to invade France. She hasn’t heard from him since, and when she followed him, the battles were over and his regiment was gone. Letters to the army, him, and his family have brought no answers, so she and her children are off to find him, even if they have to walk the length and breadth of England.

(Merry Belles is a Bluestocking Belles collection.)

Confusion at Woodglen Hall

By Bluestocking Belles

On December 6, 2025

In Teatime Tattler

Dispatch from Nether Abbas, Dorset, November 1818

Confusion reigns over at Woodglen, the duke’s estate. After sitting empty for months, the place is hopping with traffic.

To begin with, our beloved duke, His Grace of Glenmoor, has disappeared. He went off with his father’s (young and very pretty) widow to Wales and hasn’t been seen since. Maud Pritchard put it about that he ran off with the woman, but my nephew in London saw an announcement that the dowager duchess had married some Welshman, a commoner if you can believe it.

With the duke missing and the house empty, we were shocked by the arrival of some dandy claiming to be the heir. Felton Tavernash claims he is a distant cousin, and his pushy mother assures everyone it is true. The man is nothing like our own beloved duke, so I have my doubts. The mother insists the “poor, dear duke” must be dead on the wayside somewhere. Vultures they are, circling for the spoils. My nephew says betting in the clubs is that the duke did himself in, but the good folk of Nether Abbas want proof.

Before we could properly adjust to those two interlopers, another one turned up and moved in. Calls himself Gideon Kendrick. This one claims to be the duke’s older brother, but the old duke said that one had run off and got himself killed as a boy. That was years ago. Besides, the older brother was a bastard and Maud recalls he was some sort of cripple. Well the one at the Hall is a man full grown and very much alive.

What would happen next but Viscount Clavering’s forward daughter Miss Serena Selwyn went and presented herself on the doorstep. One of the maids reported she is after the so-called heir. As we should have expected, that cousin of hers, Miss Euphemia Selwyn took off after her, and they are claiming the first one took sick and the second is caring for her. Does anyone believe that Faradiddle? Not anyone in Nether Abbas I can tell you.

What we do know is there are two young unmarried women up at the Hall with single gentlemen in residence, and that is a fact. Readers can draw their own conclusions.

Milly Sheldon, Correspondent.

_____

Duke in All But Name

Secrets and lies threaten to pull them under, but a forced marriage may be their salvation.

Gideon Kendrick grew up as the despised bastard son of the Duke of Glenmoor. Exiled to the mines by his father, he has not only survived but thrived and prospered. He lives apart, wanting nothing to do with the duke, the estate—or anything in his past, except his younger brother Phillip, the new duke.

When Phillip disappears, leaving behind a letter asking his brother to care for his affairs, Gideon can’t refuse. Armed with authority making him the duke in all but name, he returns to the scene of his worst memories, facing vicious rumors and his family’s past. He also finds a grasping would-be heir, a steward with secrets, and a woman who stirs in him a desire he thought buried with his beloved wife.

Mia Selwyn lives in the shadows, an unwanted poor relation in the house of her viscount uncle. When her cousin’s hoydenish attempt to meet the supposed heir sees her drenched, ill, and in need of nursing, Mia is sent to care for her. Though warned to stay clear of the despised Kendrick, she is drawn into the dark undercurrents among the mismatched collection of residents and enthralled by the enigmatic Mr. Kendrick.

She quickly realizes he is not the monster he is rumored to be, twisted in body and mind. Instead, he is a resilient resourceful man with a deep love of family. As family, household servants, and villagers take sides on whether Gideon is the source of all the estate’s problems or its salvation, Mia and Gideon forge a partnership. Together they struggle to unravel secrets and the tangle Phillip left behind, and in the process, find a future for themselves.

Free with Kindle Unlimited or purchase the book at https://www.amazon.com/Duke-Name-Entitled-Gentlemen-Book-ebook/dp/B0BJS3GDN7/

And where is the duke? Find out in Duke in Name Only https://www.amazon.com/Duke-Name-Only-Entitled-Gentlemen-ebook/dp/B0C1L3L968

The Author

Caroline Warfield, Bluestocking Belle and author of books featuring cheeky lads, resourceful ladies, and heroes of the loyal and protective variety who need the occasional push in the right direction.

https://www.carolinewarfield.com/