Category: Georgian Era (1714-1837)

The Georgian era is a period in British history 1714 to 1830. The kings were all named George: George I, George II, George III and George IV. The sub-period of the Regency is defined by the Regency of George IV as Prince of Wales during the illness of his father George III. The definition of the Georgian era is often extended to include the short reign of William IV, which ended with his death in 1837.
Preceded by: Restoration
Including: Regency era
Followed by: Victorian era

To Heist and To Hold by Christina Britton

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

To Heist and to Hold (Wimpole Street Widows Society, 1)To Heist and to Hold by Christina Britton

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wimpole Street Widows Society, #1

Release Date: September 30, 2025

Shortly after the death of her husband, Heloise Marlow was invited to move in with Sylvia Lutton, the widowed Viscountess Vastkern and several other ladies at her home and join the Wimpole Street Widows Society. Each widowed lady has a unique talent, and they all work together to help other women. For her part, Heloise is a blacksmith, forging swords and a fencing master, and she uses her talents to teach the other women self-defense. When her sister-in-law comes to visit her and asks for help in recovering her employer’s missing jewels that were used as collateral at Dionysus, a well-respected gaming hell and have since gone missing with the gaming hell claiming no record of the jewels, she plans to take care of the problem alone. But when the viscountess learns of her mission, she insists that the society helps her, and they form an elaborate plan to infiltrate the club and find the missing jewels. Convinced something shady is going on at the club and not knowing who can be trusted, Heloise plans to seduce one of the owners, which will hopefully give her access to the more private parts of the club. Seems simple enough, but that was before she met Ethan Sinclaire and realizes she has no idea how to seduce a man. But once they begin an affair, Heloise will question herself and start wondering if she will have to betray the man, she has come to love in order to keep a deathbed promise to her late husband.

Ethan Sinclaire is one of the owners of the wildly successful Dionysus club, a gaming hell he opened with his brothers and two other friends he grew up with on the streets. After a stunning betrayal and death of his middle brother Gavin, Ethan has closed himself off from everyone and has concentrated on maintaining a stellar reputation of the club. But lately there have been whispers of members saying they have been cheated, and after the fiasco with Gavin, Ethan is determined to learn the truth. When Heloise comes to the club, he immediately doesn’t trust her, but despite that, he is drawn to her and when they embark on an affair, he finds himself feeling again for the first time in years. But when the truth comes out will they be able to find a way to move past the secrets and lies or will the betrayal be too much to overcome?

This was a good start to a new series featuring strong, capable women, who get a second chance at finding their HEA. In this story, Heloise and Ethan are both likeable and relatable characters with an immediate chemistry. The book is filled with secrets, plans, laugh out loud seduction attempts, steamyish love scenes, great secondary characters, a bit of a mystery, betrayal, healing, forgiveness and finally a well-deserved HEA. I really enjoyed this book, but I do wish I had a better understanding about the origins of the Society, and I really want to know who won the boxing match!! Overall, this was a good book, and I would happily recommend it to my fellow HR readers and will be looking forward to the next book in the series.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Rake in Disguise by Jane Charles

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Series Crossover, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Rake in Disguise (Wicked Widows' League)Rake in Disguise by Jane Charles

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Widows League #33 & Observations of a Wallflower #6

Release Date: September 16, 2025

Lady Blythe Clay nee Claxton has endured a lot since marrying Lieutenant John Clay, a man her father the Duke of Arscott did not approve of, but she believed they loved each other and eventually her father would come around. When the war started, Blythe followed John to France and has been done her best to be a good wife, but now after four years of marriage, John has realized that her father is never going to support them and has decided that he is done with Blythe and sells her in a public wife auction! Blythe is beyond mortified by the auction and isn’t sure what to expect when Dr. Orlando Valentine buys her. She has seen him before associating with the camp followers and thinks he is a rake. But she is surprised when he rents her a room at a local inn and treats her with respect. They become friends and soon deeper feelings develop, but Orlando will not dishonor her by committing adultery. After the battle of Waterloo, Blythe goes looking for Orlando and learns that her husband was killed. She is overwhelmed by the news and when she sees Orlando treating the injured, she knows she is not good enough for him and that is it time for her to return home. She leaves him a letter and hopes he will seek her out in England. But it will be almost three years before they meet again, can they rekindle the feelings they once had, or has too much time passed for a second chance?

Dr. Orlando Valentine fell in love with Blythe before he ever met her but kept his distance when he learned she was married. When he sees her being auctioned, he steps in and saves her. He takes her to the tent he shares with his sister Isabella but quickly realizes that she can’t stay there. He finds a room at an inn for her and visits her each night, so the innkeeper thinks they are married. Their friendship grows and he falls fast and hard for her and believes she cares for him too, but when she disappears without a word after Waterloo and he learns she is now a widow, he thinks she realized that she was too good for him and left. He doesn’t try to find her, thinking she wants nothing to do with him, but when their paths cross years later, Orlando decides he wants answers and won’t let her walk away again.

What a sweet, second chance romance this was! Blythe and Orlando are both characters that I knew and liked from previous Jane Charles books, and I was so happy to learn that this would be their love story! The book is basically written in two parts, before Waterloo and then three years later in England, and finally gives readers who have been following both families, some long awaited answers about Orlando’s love life! The story is packed with emotion, secrets, betrayal, hope, friendship, insecurities, warm love scenes, acceptance and finally a long-awaited HEA complete with a very sweet epilogue! I loved this book and would highly recommend it to my fellow HR readers, especially those who have been following the Valentine and Claxton family sagas!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *