Because history is fun and love is worth working for

Tag: Regency romance Page 1 of 43

A Widow of Questionable Virtue

 

Dearest Mr. Clemens, thank you for the delightful Tea you arranged for my sister and I before we left London. As you predicted, there is much delicious information to be had at Sir Peter and Lady Somerville’s house party in the lovely Sussex countryside. My sister Prudence will have already alerted you to the goings on of the night rider Captain Midnight. There will be more on that subject!

My purpose this morning is to inform you about one particular story of potential interest to your readers. A stranger appeared in the nearby village a week or so ago. While he appears to be a gentleman, he is not, in fact a guest of the Somervilles. He has been staying at the common hotel all this time. He has taken close, even obsessive interest in a woman who lives alone with only her small son for company.

Mrs. Tessa Fleming is a war widow and as such should be admired, but really, is it proper for her to be living on her own? The stranger has made repeated visits to her home, and I’ve heard not one word of a chaperone. The ladies here about, both of high and low estate generally attest to the woman’s virtue. Still, one must wonder about these visits by a man of particularly attractive visage and form, and the ladies watch the situation avidly.

What led me to write today is that the identity of the stranger has been revealed. He introduces himself as Titus Flavius Brannock, lately major in His Majesty’s 11th Dragoons. What was revealed last night is that he is the brother of the Earl of Astleigh! Lady Somerville, of course, immediately insisted that he be her guest when she discovered this. He will be at the closing ball. I am agog to discover how he will react when he finds that the widow has been invited also.

There will be more

Your most devoted correspondent,

Abigail Danvers

About the Book: Love’s Perilous Road

Travellers, a house party, smugglers, spies–and a mysterious highwayman. Who is the infamous Captain Moonlight? And how many lives will he change–for good or for ill?

Pre-order it for August:  https://books2read.com/u/mqx0W6

About the Caroline Warfield’s Story: Charred Hope

Major Titus Brannock believes the charred painting that fell into his hands must be valuable to its owner. When he finds her, he finds a true treasure. Tessa Fleming’s first instinct was to burn the miniature her late husband scorned, but the admiration she sees in Titus’s eyes gives her different ideas. Perhaps the little gem will give them both a pearl beyond price.

Who Would Have Thought It?

Dear Readers,

I’ve shared this letter of 28 February with you before, but I am happy to tell you there is a sequel that sheds more light on this matter. I have, of course concealed the identity of the letters’ subjects, but you will perhaps recognized them anyway.

Without further ado:

28 February

My dear Harriet,

Is your cold better? You oughtn’t have gone to church in such rain. At our age, the Lord will see us soon enough, and it has caused you to miss the K ball! Such a crush it was. That dreadful Lord H was drug in by his uncle Lord G, all to meet the M girl. A fresh-faced one, she is, but it didn’t go well! Lud, I wish you had seen the rogue slink away.

And your late friend, A’s girl, L! Did you know she’s bringing out Miss M? Far too young for it, but no one asked me before they set her up in that merchant’s household. Yes and she was seen tête-à-tête in the garden with Lord G! What would A have said? Though one might ask her why she’d die and not leave the girl better-settled than to have to seek employment!

I’m sending a potion made up by Cook. Do try it. I don’t believe it will kill you as she doses the maid and the footman with it upon occasion.

As ever,

Gert

 

21 April

Dear Harriet,

You have retired to the country far too soon! You will never guess the news!

Did I not tell you that A’s girl, L was seen having a tête-à-tête in the garden with Lord G? Oh yes, and I must tell you… well, you will see the announcements soon. Not only has our Miss L found a much better match for the merchant’s girl after Lord H had the courtesy to put himself in the way of a cutthroat (you will have read of his demise). No, there is more!

L and Lord G have married. By special license, it is true, but in a most respectable way and even in the company of a marquess. Who would have thought it?

Mark my word, the new Lady G will be much in demand as a matchmaker next Season!

I am glad the worst of your cold has passed. Do have your cook make up the receipt I’ve enclosed. This elixir is a sure cure for your lingering cough.

Your friend as ever,

Gert

Liliana’s Letter

The Matchmaker

A promise to his long-dead sister forces Lord Grigsby back into society to broker the marriage of his disreputable nephew to the heiress whose money can save the earldom.

The Matchbreaker

Liliana Ashford has been hired to help an heiress pass muster with the ton and snare a titled husband. Though, if she had a magic wand, she’d turn her charge’s fiancé back into the toad he truly was.

Scandal and a New Match

But she never plotted murder! As the young Earl’s sordid death evokes the scandal of the season, a shadow from Liliana’s own past appears, threatening her carefully crafted world. Grigsby sets about finding his nephew’s killer…and Liliana’s secrets. Meanwhile she scrambles to make a new match for the girl, because finding a husband of her own is out of the question.

Or is it?

On sale for 99 cents until June 30, 2025

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/LilianasLetter

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature but prefers the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a midcentury home with two spunky rescues, a blonde terrier and a people-loving chihuahua.

She is the author of several Regency romances, including the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring. She is hard at work on her next series of Regency romances but loves to hear from readers!

Visit her at:

https://alinakfield.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield

https://twitter.com/AlinaKField

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field

https://www.pinterest.com/alinakf/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alina-k-field

Newsletter signup:  https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z6q6e3

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alina-K.-Field/e/B00DZHWOKY

Salacious, Notorious, and Delicious Rumors

Dear Reader,

I offer you today a most interesting report from the ever-reliable Lady P:

Lady P, with more than the latest on dits—I have a confession to make! There have been a number of strapping young footmen over the years who had my heart fluttering, imagining stolen embraces in the linen closet, the tack room in the stables, the alcove… do forgive me for rambling. But, I simply must call your attention to the sixteen handsome-as-sin Irishmen who have been an even greater source of distraction as of late. Fueling more than one day dream because I do so hate to use the word fantasy.

Of whom am I speaking? You must have been banished to the Highlands if you have not espied at least one of the tall, broad shouldered, broad chested men in the Duke of Wyndmere’s private guard. Dearest they have been seen in London, Sussex, the Lake District, Cornwall, and even the Borderlands!

As with any supremely handsome man, there are bound to be salacious, notorious, and dare I say it, delicious, rumors regarding these men. Brothers and cousins and every one more handsome than the last.

Heavens, a glance at the head of the Duke’s Guard had me reaching for my hartshorn! Having seen the broad shouldered, deep chested, green-eyed blond giant, standing beside his equally tall and broad, dark-haired, dark-eyed cousin on one side, and his auburn-haired, blue-eyed giant of a cousin on the other, had my head spinning and my heart pounding. Botheration! Where was I? Those terribly handsome men in the Duke’s Guard have gotten me off track when what I wanted to share was the latest tidbit that I overheard.

Viscount C. all but told S.F. that his injured wife’s condition was less important than reporting in after his patrol. Now I am all for the separation of classes and knowing one’s place in Society, but even I would have to wonder what difference a scant quarter of an hour to see for himself that his wife was indeed on the mend was not too much to ask for.

There are times it pains me to repeat such, but it is for the greater good. For where would the duke and his extended family be without those sixteen men who, it is rumored, have been battered and have bled for those they protect?

Did I fail to mention that the duke’s London man-of-affairs and a certain inspector from Bow Street had to step in and mediate between the viscount and S.F.? How Their Graces will be able to move past this serious threat to the very foundation of His Grace’s private guard is beyond me.

My equilibrium has been knocked out of balance just passing on what I have heard. But fear not, dear reader, for I shall sally forth and uncover the resolution—for certainly there had to have been one—or my name isn’t Lady P! Rest assured, I shall share further news on this subject with the editor of this unimpeachable daily source of information.

 

The Duke’s Champion (The Duke’s Guard, Book 13)

©C.H. Admirand Feb. 2025

Excerpt: 

If he hadn’t lost so much time recovering from wound fever, he might have confessed his small mindedness sooner. His thoughts drifted to a fiery-haired lass and wondered why Mary Kate had not come to see him after he’d been shot. He’d been courting the woman, and by all counts she was besotted with him.

Flaherty closed his eyes and swore, the lass had a perverse way of showing it. “I need to get back to work.” He needed to forget the faithless lass with the bewitching eyes. Concentrate on his duties. “’Tis what I signed on for.” He thought of his cousins’ wives and marveled that every one of them had been unafraid to go toe-to-toe with the men they married whenever they thought they were right. What a sight that had been!

“The lot of them are beautiful and stubborn to the bone.” His thoughts immediately went to the woman he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of while recovering. The fever held him in its grip longer than he anticipated. Bloody hell! He’d even dreamed Mary Kate had been beside him, but it must have been the fever overheating his brainbox. Flaherty had been weak as a babe those first few days after his fever broke. Well he was hale and hearty now, and had made up his mind to confront her. He decided it was past time to ask Sean for the time away from his duties to pay her a visit. She’d taunted him in his delirium—and in his sleep. It gutted him that his woman always claimed James Garahan was the man who’d saved her life. When would Mary Kate remember the far more dramatic rescue the day Flaherty had pulled Mary Kate and Lady Calliope, Viscountess Chattsworth, from the duke’s carriage? It had slid on ice, and tipped over onto its side, just a half a mile from Chattsworth Manor.

Mary Kate was a winsome lass, with blue-violet eyes, a sunshine smile, and lips as red as a rose. Soft and supple, just ripe for kissing. But women were fickle creatures at best. “Bloody hell.” Why had she deserted him in his time of need if she loved him? A devastating thought occurred… The lass was still in love with Garahan! Had she ever loved me?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9QY519S

Author Bio:

If we have not met yet, I’m delighted to meet you. Here’s a little bit about me…

I have been writing romance novels for almost half my life—well, at least for the last thirty years. I’m a die-hard romantic and have to confess the broad shoulders and wicked glint in the brilliant green eyes of a stranger had my breath snagging in my breast, my heart beating madly, and my future flashing before my eyes. At the age of seventeen, I’d met the man I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

I write Historical & Contemporary Romance featuring characters that I know so well: hardheaded heroes and feisty heroines! They rarely listen to me and in fact, I think they enjoy messing with my plans for them. Over the years I have learned to listen to them. I have always used family names in my books and love adding bits and pieces of my ancestors and ancestry in them, too! Visit my website to learn more about my books.

C.H.’s Social Media Links:

Website:

https://www.chadmirand.com

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/C.-H.-Admirand/author/B001JPBUMC

BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-h-admirand

Facebook Author Page:

https://www.facebook.com/CHAdmirandAuthor

GoodReads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/212657.C_H_Admirand

Dragonblade Publishing:

https://www.dragonbladepublishing.com/team/c-h-admirand/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/c.h.admirand/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRSXBeqEY52VV3mHdtg5fXw

 

Whispers of Scandal and Suspense

Dearest readers,

Sharpen your fan edges and pour the tea strong, for last evening’s events at Lady A’s illustrious Mayfair residence have left tongues wagging and reputations teetering!

The occasion, purportedly held in honor of none other than Her Royal Highness, Princess T von H-S, promised a night of elegance and refinement. But where Lady A entertains, drama and readers often overshadow refinement, and she does not disappoint.

The arrival of the honoured guests was enough to set hearts fluttering and monocles dropping. Prince S, with his usual flair for excess, made a royal fuss of his entrance in a gilded coat that blinded every poor soul within ten feet. He was flanked by his dashing brother, Prince A, and the ethereal Princess T, who could induce envy simply by breathing. A trio worthy of every gossip in the room, to be sure.

Now, one might expect Princess T to charm her way across the ballroom floor with every eligible lord and viscount in the Ton. But no, dear readers, our princess had other plans. To the great shock (and likely despair) of many titled mothers and their hopeful progeny, she danced exclusively with a certain Dr. A F. Yes, you heard that correctly, a doctor from Italy, whose sole claim to fame thus far seems to be his deft hand in orthopedics. If his skill in the ballroom is half as precise as his scalpel, I daresay he’ll have a future flock of patients from the Ton on his hands.

As if the sight of a princess monopolizing a mere physician were not enough to keep tongues wagging, pray brace yourselves for the truly scandalous tidbit of the night. There was, of all things, a poisoning at the ball! It was all kept very secret but I shall, dear readers, not rest until I find out who the victim was.

Ah, Lady A. How could one fail to notice that this so-called celebration of Princess T had all the grace of a well-aimed dagger. Our hostess, known for her sharp intellect and even sharper sense of family, was using the occasion to stake her newfound alliances with prominent personages. Not only has she aligned herself with Prince S and Princess T, but also with the mysterious and reputable doctors of Harley Street. One cannot help but wonder if alliances forged in secret will soon cast shadows over the Ton. Her revenge upon society may not yet be written in ink, but readers, the quill is poised.

Still, the night concluded with an announcement of great importance, though its details remain shrouded. Dearest readers, I shall find out. Until then, hold tightly to your secrets—for it seems Mayfair’s glittering exteriors hide venomous hearts aplenty.

Yours Indiscreetly,
An Anonymous Observer

 

To find out more about the events at Lady Ashford’s ball and her alliances to the Doctors on Harley Street, check out Sara Adrien’s series “Miracles on Harley Street” which will soon bring a third book with events intersecting at that event.

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D72FXRFK?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tkin

 

Sara Adrien

Bestselling author Sara Adrien writes hot and heart-melting Regency romance with a Jewish twist. As a law professor-turned-author, she writes about clandestine identities, whims of fate, and sizzling seduction. If you like unique and intelligent characters, deliciously sexy scenes, and the nostalgia of afternoon tea, then you’ll adore Sara Adrien’s tender tear-jerkers.

For more information and exclusive sneak peeks, new releases, and more, sign up for Sara Adrien’s newsletter at www.SaraAdrien.com

social media links:

Free companion Scrapbook: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/d7hj45yo6p
Substack: AuthorSara.Substack.com
https://www.instagram.com/author_sara_adrien/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565938324623

 

 

 

The scent of trouble stirs the air

Dear Reader,

This humble gossip column has it on the highest authority that a certain lady known for her outspoken boldness and unshakable glint of trouble in her eye is dead set on exacting revenge upon a certain earl who has risked his grandfather’s legacy on a hairbrained wager. Yes, the one that involves him to find a wife or else.

What unfolds promises to be an unstoppable gallop on a racetrack that will collide with sharp tongues, sharper secrets, and a reckoning no amount of lace or lies can soften.

So, clutch your pearls, dear reader.

It seems the dear earl in question has found himself tangled not only in the strings of matrimony’s clock but also in the silken web of our bold lady’s schemes. Whispers suggest the lady in question is armed with not only her wit but also a most curious ally. A certain gentleman of questionable repute has been spotted at her side, offering up his infamous talents in orchestrating chaos. Could this be a plot to ensure the earl’s courtship attempts end in a spectacular disaster? Or might their collaboration uncover secrets that even this ink-and-quill columnist dares not yet write?

And as for the race to the altar, one cannot help but notice the parade of hopeful maidens fluttering in the background, like moths drawn to a rather perilous flame. Among them, sharp-eyed observers claim, is one whose grasp on the earl’s attention seems more solid than the others’. But caution, sweet reader, for where one heart might warm, another’s icy precision may strike. Could this gentle miss be as innocent as she seems, or is there more to her charm than meets the eye? Ah, the stage is set, and the players are primed. Rest assured, this gambit will unfold with all the drama and spectacle one might wish for during the Season.

The fallout might just scatter the ton into scandalous pieces, or perhaps, more thunderously, shatter only the hearts of those caught in its wickedly delicious snare.

Are you ready?

And never say, I didn’t warn you.

~~~

Dare To Tempt An Earl This Spring

 

She plans revenge. He wagers his future. But neither bets on love.

Lady Ashley never imagined she’d lose the love of her life because of a heartless wager. And she knows exactly who to blame for her heartbreak. Thomas, the Earl of Linsey, has it all—wealth, prestige, good looks, and his prized thoroughbred horses. Determined to exact her own kind of justice, Ashley hatches a daring scheme to steal the one thing he values most. But as she enters his world, she discovers an infuriatingly charming man with unruly wit and a passion that stirs something deep within her. The closer she gets to stealing his horses, the harder it becomes to shield her heart.

Thomas, the irresistible Earl of Linsey, is a man bound by secrets and a wager that will change his life. If he doesn’t marry before his 25th birthday, he’ll lose more than his dignity to a ruthless rival. But even as time passes, he focuses on preparing his horses for the Royal Ascot. That is, until Ashley saunters into his life. With her sharp tongue and undeniable allure, she’s both the distraction he doesn’t need and the woman who ignites a fire he can’t ignore. Yet Thomas begins to suspect Ashley has ulterior motives, and untangling her secrets may cost him more than his treasured horses.

Their battle of wits sparks undeniable passion, but when deception and betrayal come to light, will Thomas and Ashley risk it all for a love they never saw coming?

Step into a world of glittering ballrooms, fiery attraction, and scandalous secrets in the first book of this steamy Regency romance series by #1 bestselling authors Sara Adrien and Tanya Wilde. Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers, sizzling romance, and the thrill of sweet revenge. Don’t miss this captivating series starter filled with witty banter, dangerous stakes, and a love worth fighting for!

Buy links:

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Tempt-Earl-This-Spring-ebook/dp/B0F4GW8238

About the Authors:

Tanya Wilde

Award-Winning and Bestselling author Tanya Wilde developed a passion for reading when she had nothing better to do than lurk in the library during her lunch breaks. Her love affair with pen and paper soon followed after she devoured all of their historical romance books.

When she’s not meddling in the lives of her characters or pondering names for her imaginary big, white greyhound, she’s off on adventures with her partner in crime.

Wilde lives in a town at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, South Africa.

You can connect with her (she loves that *wink wink*) at:

Website: http://www.authortanyawilde.com

Website: https://www.authortanyawilde.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authortanyawilde

Wallflowers and Wenches Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/843373666456177

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tanya-wilde

 

Sara Adrien

Bestselling author Sara Adrien writes hot, heart-melting regency romance with a Jewish twist. As a law professor-turned-author, she writes about clandestine identities, whims of fate, and sizzling seduction. If you like unique and intelligent characters, deliciously sexy scenes, and the nostalgia of afternoon tea, then you’ll adore Sara Adrien’s tender tear-jerkers. She is the author of the series Infiltrating the Ton, Diamond Dynasty, Check Mates, and Miracles on Harley Street.

 

Instagram: @author_sara_adrien

Substack:  https://authorsara.substack.com/

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22249825.Sara_Adrien

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sara-adrien

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ASara+Adrien

 

Page 1 of 43

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén